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THE 


HUSSAR; 


BY THE 


AUTHOR OF “THE SUBALTERN." 


“ In peace; there’s nothing so becomes a man 
As modest stillness and -humility ; 

But when the blast of war blows in our ears, 
Then imitate the action of the tiger.” 

'Shakspeare. 


TWO VOLUMES IN ONE. 



CINCINNATI : 

U. P. JAMES, NO. 26 PEARL STREET. 
1838. 


•Hu. 


Exchange 
Supreme Council 

4M«g A«tlt40 


ADVERTISMENl’. 


The following pages contain a simple and unadorned 
relation of the principal occurrences in the life of the 
individual whose memoirs they profess to be. The ? 
subject of them — one of the most respectable of the 
many respectable inmates of Chelsea Hospital — is 
still alive to vouch for the accuracy of the statement, 
being in every respect competent to satisfy the most 
distrusting that no liberties whatever have been taken 
with historical truth in the management of his story. 

I do not know how far I may be expected to account 
for the publication of the narrative at all ; but the 
circumstances which led to it, as they involve no mys- 
tery, so they are certainly not worth concealing. 

My acquaintance with the habits of the brave men 
with whom I am now professionally associated, soon 
made me aware that, in Serjeant Landsheit, Chelsea 
Hospital could boast of an inmate possessed of more 
than ordinary intelligence. I accordingly begged of 
him to relate to me some of his personal adventures 
while actively employed in the army, with the design 
of adding his story to other “ Traditions” of the place. 

I found, however, as we went on, that the narrative 
grew, not only in bulk, but in interest ; so I deter- 
mined to send it forth as a separate work. I am wil- 
ling to believe that the public will not blame me for 
this proceeding ; because, numerous as such narra- 
tives have now become, I, at least, do not know where 
one is to be found containing a greater variety of curi- 
ous and interesting matter. 

VoL. I. — A/ 


ii 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


It will be seen that I have confined myself in writ- 
ing to the use of the first person. This, indeed. I 
was in some sort compelled to do for our practice 
was, that my friend Landsheit came to me every 
morning, and told his tale till one or two o’clock in 
the day ; after which I wrote — being sometimes unable 
to keep pace with him, even though I repeatedly en- 
croached far upon the short hours of the night. And, 
to ensure the correctness of the story, he has listened 
to each pi oof sheet as it went through the press. 
The Hussar, therefore, is no work of fiction, — but 
just as much the Memoirs of Norbert Landsheit, as 
Captain Carlton’s delightful volume is a memoir of 
himself. 

If it be asked, why was this man left in the condi- 
tion of a non-commissioned officer 1 — why was he 
never promoted 1 I answer, that I, too, put the ques- 
tion to himself; and the reader will judge of the cha?- 
^acter of the man by the sort of answer which he made 
to me. 

“ I will reply to you, Sir,” said he, in his slightly- 
broken English, “ by reminding you of a passage in 
the Life of Frederic the Great. There was a poor 
Curate, somewhere near Potsdam, who, after many 
years’ faithful service in the diocese, applied to the 
Bishop for a living. The Bishop assured him that 
he was alive to his merits, and that he might depend 
upon being one day or . another provided for. En- 
couraged by this assurance, the Curate kept quiet, 
till he ascertained that a certain living was vacant; 
upon which be repaired again to the Bishop, and en- 
treated that he might be inducted to it. 

« ‘ Ah !’ replied the Bishop, ‘ so you knew that 
living was vacant, did you ? Well, I am very sorry. 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


iii 

I cannot give you that, for I have promised it to one of 
my nephews ; but you shall have the next that falls.’ 

« The Curate returned homo scarcely disappointed, 
for he thought that the Bishop’s reason was a fair 
one ; and he counted surely on succeeding to the 
very next benefice that should become vacant. One 
did fall soon after, and he flew on the wings of hope 
to the palace. 

It is very provoking, my dear Sir,’ said the Pre- 
late ; ‘ but I cannot give you this. I have promised 
it to my sister’s son ; but you shall have the next.’ 

“ The Curate was disappointed this time, but he 
said lirtle ; neither was he much surprised when, on 
repairing r third lime to the episcopal residence, a 
similar result attended his application. And so it 
continued to be, over and over again. There was a 
brother, or a nephew, or a cousin, between him and 
the realization of his day-dreams — till his patience 
became at length exhausted, and he began to consider 
what was best to be done. He was a sharp-witted 
man, and his meditations brought him to a happy 
issue. 

“ It chanced, once upon a time, that Frederic the 
Great, who always rose early, and was accustomed to 
walk before breakfast in the palace-garden, looked out 
from his window, and, to his infinite surprise, saw 
an ecclesiastic, with a lantern in his hand, stooping 
and poking close to the ground, as if in search of 
something. The sun was up, yet the man’s lantern 
contained a lighted candle; and he seemed to depend 
in his search entirely upon that, and not upon the 
sun’s rays. Frederic’s curiosity was roused. Hede- 
sired his attendant to order the man up, and bid him 
wait in the ante-room till the King should be dressed. 
When he was dressed, the King went forth ; and lo I 


IV 


ADVERTISEMENT. 


the stranger, instead of meeting him like a reasonable 
person, continued still to keep his lantern close to the 
floor, and peer about him. 

What are you looking for, Sir!’ demanded the King. 

« ‘ I am looking for a cousin, please your Majesty,’ 
wasf the reply. 

« ‘ A cousin, you fool !’ said Frederic ; ‘ what do 
you mean by that V 

« ‘ Because I have none,’ answered the man ; ‘ and 
I can’t do without one.’ , 

« These strange answers only whetted the King’s 
curiosity, who went on questioning the ecclesiastic, 
till the. whole truth came out. 

Oh ! that’s it,’ exclaimed Frederic, laughing. 

* You could not get a living, because you had no 
cousin among the Bishops. Never mind — I will be 
your cousin, if you deserve one — - and then we will 
see what can be done.’ 

“’The King made his inquiries — found that the 
Curate was a deserving person — made him fix upon 
the best living in the Bishop’s gift which was then 
vacant — and desired the Bishop to make out the pre- 
sentation in his favour. The Bishop demurred a 
little, spoke of a cousin to whom he had promised it, 
and assured the King that his proteg6 should have the 
very next that fell. 

“ ‘That won’t do,’ replied Frederic; ‘your Curate 
is my cousin for this time — so you must give him the 
living.” 

“ The Curate got the living. But I had no cousin, 
Sir ; so I got no living.” 

I was much struck with Landsheit’s story. But 
if he got no living, he has at least earned for himself 
the reputation of a good soldier in his youth, a good 
man in his old age. 


THE HUSSAR 


CHAPTER I. 

MY BIRTH, parentage, AND EARLY ADVENTURES. 

My name is Norbertus Landsheit, my Christian name 
being familiarly pronounced in my own country. Nor- 
bert I was born on the 4th of November, 1775, at a 
place called St. Dennis, a village in the Bishopric of 
Cologne, not far from Crefeldt. My origin was at least 
respectable, and my prospects were at one time good ; for 
my father was an officer of gendarmes, in the service 
of Maximilian the Second, and my mother, a native of 
Prussian Silesia, came from an honourable stock. But 
the profession of a soldier is not very lucrative any- 
where, and least of all in the Bishopric of Cologne. — 
Wherefore my father was prevailed upon soon after my 
birth to quit the army, and to establish himself as a 
distiller, and the keeper of a creditable hotel in the village 
where I first saw the light. 

His business proving, on the whole, a profitable one, 
and I being his only son, my father determined to make 
of me a Lutheran clergyman, and in order to qualify 
me for the office, he bestowed upon me as good an 
education as the state of the country and his own cir- 
cumstances would permit. From him and from my 
mother I learned to read write as well as to repeat my 
catechism, and to know something of scripture history ; 
while the curate of tlie parish taught me the rudiments 
of Latin, and encouraged me to aspire after still higher 
A2 


6 


THE HUSSAR. 


attainments. But long before I had made any profi- 
ciency in scholastic lore, a calamity overtook both my 
mother and myself, which was to her the beginning of 
many sorrows, and to me proved irremediable, I was 
barely seven years old when my father died, leaving his 
son and his twofold occupation, to be managed as she 
best could, by his widow. 

My father and mother had been sincerely attached 
to one another, and her grief at his loss was in conse- 
quence excessive : yet being a strong-minded woman, 
she did not permit it to interfere with the steady dis- 
charge of the duties which she owed to herself and her 
family. She continued to carry on both the distillery 
and the hotel, as had been done during his life-time, 
and my education was not for a moment interrupted. — 
On the contrary finding that St. Dennis could not sup- 
ply such tuition as I came by this time to require, she 
sent me to Kempen, where, till I attained to my seven- 
teenth year, I resided as a pupil, in a respectable 
academy. 

Such was my condition when those extraordinary 
events befel, which produced throughout Europe other 
and more violent revolutions than the conversion of a 
parson in embryo into a hussar. The French people, 
victorious at home over religion, law, order, and hu- 
manity, burst like a river that has broken down its 
banks, across their own frontier, and carried, wherever 
they appeared desolation and misery into the districts 
which they came avowedly to set free. One of their 
armies, under the command of General Coustine, after 
driving the Austrians back upon the Rhine, advanced, 
in the summer of 1792, into our province, where they 
pursued the system which was acted upon everywhere 
else, in reference as well to the persons as to the pro- 
perty of the inhabitants. Not content to live at free 
quarters, to levy contributions money, grain, horses, and 
other materiel, they brought the conscription into active 
play among the young men of the country; compelling 


THE HUSSAR. 


7 


all between the ages of sixteen and forty to take up 
arms and serve under the republican banner. Now, my 
mother had no particular fancy that I should become a 
soldier under any circumstances, and least of all, that 
I should serve France. She therefore took time by the 
forelock, and while the invaders were yet at a distance, 
packed me off to one of her brothers who resided in 
Dusseldorf. 

I arrived in Dusseldorf some time in June, and was 
kindly received by my uncle. He put me to school, 
and treated me in every respect as if I had been his 
own — indeed I should have been perfectly happy under 
his care, but for the strange desire which in common 
with other lads of my standing, I experienced to see 
something of the French. For we were told from day 
to day of their inroads ; we saw the Bavarian garrison 
march out and an Austrian arrive in its room ; and not 
knowing what war was, we longed to be eye-witnesses 
of scenes, concerning which we had read, and heard 
others speak with the deepest interest. Not that I 
harboured at that time the smallest wish to wield a 
sword or wear a uniform. Mine was a mere boyish 
curiosity, which was perhaps the more whetted in con- 
sequence of the rebukes which it drew forth from older 
and wiser men. But this is not worth dwelling upon, 
so I will pass it by. 

At the period to which I am now referring, Dussel- 
dorf was crowded with French emigrants. Multitudes 
of all ranks, from the Duke de Broglie down to the 
meanest artizan, had taken refuge there, and as each 
brought with him a certain supply of cash, money was, 
for a while, abundant in the city, and all fared well. — 
By degrees, however, the resources of the less wealthy 
began to fail and then might be seen the devoted gene- 
rosity with which their richer neighbours — men of 
family and high name — stepped forward to the relief of 
their necessities. The Duke de Broglie in particular 
seemed to regard himself as nothing more than a trustee 


THE HUSSAR. 


for hi3 suffering- countrymen — for whose benefit he hired 
a large hotel, with all its accompaniments of cooks, 
waiters, and other attendants, and caused a dinner to be 
daily provided there at his own expense for not fewer than 
four hundred persons. Such munificence could not of 
course be displayed without utterly draining in a very- 
short time, the resources of him who indulged in it. — 
The Duke de Broglie became in a few months almost 
pennyless, and was forced to seek a supply by dispatch- 
ing his son in disguise through the enemy’s lines into 
the heart of France. The young man’s first expedition 
proved to be eminently successful. His father’s tenants 
paid their rents cheerfully and returned with the pro- 
ceeds unobserved to Dusseldorf — but the supply pro- 
cured went as other monies had done, and a second ex- 
pedition was decided upon. Alas ! it was a rash act, 
however dictated by the noblest feelings — and led to 
results the most disasterous. The young Duke being 
discovered, was put to death ; and his untimely fate was 
mourned in every house in Dusseldorf, with as much 
sincerity as if each had lost a relative. 

I have said, that not long after my arrival the Bava- 
rian garrison marched out, and a body of Austrians, 
both horse and foot, reached Dusseldorf. Now, as the 
Bavarians had taken neither side in the strife, and the 
Austrians were principals in opposing the French, this 
movement naturally convinced us that tlie period could 
not in all probability be distant, when we should see 
something of the invaders. Each new day, moreover, 
brought intelligence of their successes, which more and 
more prepared us to receive a visit. The Austrians 
were falling back ; they had crossed the Rhine, and it 
was very doubtful whether, with that obstacle in their 
front, the enemy would be arrested. At last late in the 
autumn — I think somewhere in the beginning of Oc- 
tober — it was announced that the French were approach- 
ing. In common with others, I hurried to the ram- 
parts, and saw, sure enough, with a glass, three or four 


THE HUSSAR. 


9 


heavy columns in movement on the opposite side of the 
river — of W’hich a portion established themselves in 
rear of some houses that crowned the bank within less 
than half cannon shot of the town. 

It was not however among us civilians alone that a 
visit from General Coustine’s army had for some time 
been anticipated. The military authorities had caused 
the flying bridge, which connects the two banks of the 
Rhine, to be hauled in. Far and near, above and below 
the town, every vessel and boat was secured, while posts 
were established here and there, in order to provide 
against the possibility of some sudden dash, such as 
might give to the enemy a moment’s command 
of the river. Moreover, as soon as the French 
columns showed themseves in rear of the houses 
opposite, there went forth an order to rip up all 
the pavements, a strict observance of which con- 
verted a clean and well-regulated town, in the course of 
four-and-twenty hours, into one huge puddle. For no 
sooner were the stones removed than straw, mud, horse- 
dung, and every other filthy substance was accumulated 
in the streets, with the view, as I afterwards found, of 
rendering the shells which were expected to fall among 
us, comparatively innocuous. Unfortunately, however; 
there were weak points in Dusseldorf, which no provi- 
dence, on the part of the governor, could defend. In 
the heart of the town stood a Mews — a large stable- 
yard — accessible by one gate only, and surrounded by 
buildings capable of containing a brigade of horse with 
the forage necessary for their maintenance. That enor- 
mous pile was, at this juncture, full of combustibles 
and a regiment of Austrian dragoons had established in 
it their quarters. It was found impossible to protect the 
Mews from shot, while numerous store-houses, wharfs, 
and other places of commerce were likewise exposed. 
Still the distance between us and the enemy’s position 
was considerable, and something it was assumed might 
be trusted to their ignorance of our localities, — while 


10 


THE HUSSAR. 


ten or twelve of our own ^uns which looked towards 
the houses on the opposite bank, would it was hoped, 
when the proper time came, keep their fire under. 

There had been no discharge from the other side, 
though the guns from the city had ruined the houses 
opposite ; when on the sixth of October I retired to my 
bed-room as usual, about ten o’clock at night. My 
curiosity was more awakened than ever, so that I made 
it a constant practice to look out the last thing before I 
stepped into bed ; and to-night I had been not less care- 
ful than on former occasions, though just to as little 
purpose, in my endeavours to see anything that might 
please by its novelty. My astonishment was therefore 
very great, when having heard a report of a cannon a 
long w^ay off, I saw a hissing over my head, in the 
declivity of a half-circle, some substance loaded, with a 
fiery tail. Presently another, and then another, shone 
in the sky, which so delighted me that I ran down 
stairs, and communicated my discovery to my uncle. I 
was yet speaking when the mystery, for such it was to 
me, received its solution. The Frenclf had opened a 
mortar battery, and were bombarding the place ; and 
such was the precision with which they threw their 
shells, that scarcely one fell short of its mark. The 
Mews was soon in a blaze. Then followed store-houses 
and market-places without end ; w’hile an incessant 
showor of red-hot balls rendered it utterly impossible, 
either to extinguish the flames already raised, or to 
hinder them from extending elsewhere. What a night 
of confusion and dismay was that ! The Governor had 
in the outset refused to give passports to the inhabi- 
tants ; the emigrants were indeed permitted to withdraw 
and take shelter in Elberfeld ; but the people of the 
place it was considered more politic to detain in their 
houses, in order that the feelings both of them and of 
their relatives might be enlisted on the side of the at- 
tacked. But now the clamour was so great that the 
Austrian Commandant could not resist it. He threw 


THE HUSSAR, 


11 


Open one of the gates, by which crowds of men, women 
and children made their escape and beyond which I, 
very much to my own annoyance, was hurried. That 
night, however, I went not beyond the glacis; and the 
splendour of the scene — the burning town — the cease- 
less shower of fiery projectiles — the roar of cannon — 
the shouts of men — I have no language to describe ; 
though the effect produced by all these I never can 
forget. 

The weather was very cold, and my uncle making a 
point of our removing to a place of safety, we travelled 
next day as far as Elberfeld, where, however, it was 
judged imprudent to detain me long, lest the enemy 
should prevail, and make a conscript of me after all. 
As fortune would have it, there was no ground for these 
apprehensions, inasmuch as the French never forced 
the passage of the Rhine ; but were compelled, by some 
demonstration made upon their flank, to raise the bom- 
bardment of Dusseldorf and march away. But we 
could not foresee all this, and as my mother had exact- 
ed a pledge that my uncle would provide for my se- 
curity, he determined to remove me from the seat of war, 
by sending me to his brother in Hanover. I spent the 
winter, indeed, in Elberfeld, but early in the spring, alone, 
and but moderately supplied with money, I began^ my 
journey towards Ousnabruck. I reached it in the month 
of April, and again met with the kindest treatment; my 
uncle being annoyed at nothing except that I should 
have been left at my years to travel unattended. By 
this time, however, though still a raw youth, 1 had learn- 
ed somewhat to take care of myself, so I only laughed 
at my good uncle’s anxiety, and for several months pur- 
sued under his roof the studies which recent events had 
interrupted. 

My opportunities of observation were not such as to 
authorize my giving any account of the progress of the 
war. At Ousnabruck we only heard of it at a dis- 
tance, though even in Ousnabruck the feeling of hostUty 


12 


THBsHUSSAR. 


which then pervaded all Germany in reference to France, 
was perceptible enough. In particular my uncle began 
to talk to me frequently of taking up arms against these 
enemies of the human race, and easily won from me a 
declaration, that if he joined the army of the Emperor, 
I would accompany him. Not yet however, was an op- 
portunity afforded of realising our day dreams; for 
though recruiting parties were out in every direction, 
my uncle appeared to take no interest in their proceed- 
ings : but towards the end of the summer he left me. 
It was necessary for him, he saidj to proceed as far as 
Celle, whence he would return witliin the week, and it 
was not impossible but that when next he visited the 
place, I might accompany him. There was something 
in this journey of his, which, I could not tell why, ex- 
cited in me a deep interest. I watched for his return 
with the utmost anxiety, and when he came, true to the 
hour appointed, the hilarity of his manner, instead of 
allaying the ferment in my mind, only increased it. 
At last, in the latter part of July, he carried me to Celle, 
and gave me a room in his lodgings ; where, for the 
first time, he presented himself to my wondering gaze, 
in the uniform of an officer of hussars. The facts of 
the case were these : Baron Charles de Hompesch had 
been for some time occupied in raising a regiment of 
cavalry, in which my uncle, having been very success- 
ful in procuring recruits, had obtained a commission ; 
and now, the corps being ordered to assemble on the 
heath of Schwann, it was necessary for him to join. I 
need scarcely add, that the splendour of my uncle’s ap- 
pearance altogether dazzled me. I declared that nothing 
should prevent my joining the corps as a cadet, a deter- 
mination to which my uncle was far from opposing 
himself, though he required that I would take time to 
deliberate ere I acted ; and proposed that 1 should at- 
tend him to the camp in the quality of a friend. 

I went with him cheerfully, being willing to humour 
him so far as might not be inconsistent with the grati- 


THE HUSSAR. 


13 


fication of my own desires, and continued a civilian up 
to the month of August, 1793. Then, however, I en- 
listed, and received both from uncle and the officer 
commanding liis squadron, assurances, that provided I 
behaved well, I should never want a friend, nor find the 
road to promotion barred against me. 

What a magnificent encampment was that of 
Schwarm ! there were assembled six regiments of ca- 
valry, the weakest upwards of eight hundred strong — 
besides a corps composed entirely of French gentlemen, 
whom the success af the revolution had driven into exile. 
Hompesch‘s Hussars, the regiment of the Prince of 
Salem, Soicelles, Old Ruen and New Ruen, — both made 
up of emigrants, — and a regiment of Ulans, equipped 
after the Polish fashion, with square caps and lances, 
were each very fine. But the most brilliant corps of all 
Was that of Montelambert. It consisted entirely of the 
flower of the nobility of France, who provided their own 
uniforms, their own horses, everything, in short, ex- 
capt their arms and accoutrements, and, glittering with 
silver, had their tents in a quarter apart from the rest 
of us, though on service they did the duty of private 
soldiers. I have seen many a regiment since, of what 
might well be accounted the elite of the armies of 
Europe ; but such a body as that — so full of fire, so gal- 
lant, so gay, so chivalrous — were you to search the 
world over, you would probably not succeed now in 
getting togeliier its parallel. 

Here then we lay for many months, wfell fed, well at- 
tended, and regularly paid ; having for our sole occupa- 
tion the business of drill, together with frequent field- 
days, under the orders of the English General Lord 
Cathcart. At last, however, in the spring of 1794, our 
regiment received orders to march for the Low Coun- 
tries, in order to reinforce the army which it was in- 
tended to oppose to the French General Pichegru. 
Perhaps fortunately for myself, though at the time I bit- 
terly lamented it, a severe kick from a horse while I 

VoL. I.— B 


14 


THE HUSSAH. 


led him to water, hindered me from accompanying’ my 
uncle on that expedition. My shin bone was so much 
injured, that it seemed at one time doubtful whether I 
should ever again be able to do duty; and I was con- 
fined, to my inexpressible chagrin, in the hospital. Yet 
was the campaign pregnant with nothing but disasters 
to Hompesch’s Hussars. Somehow or other, I know 
not when, nor under what circumstances, they were 
attacked at a disadvantage, and almost to a man, either 
killed or taken prisoners. Among others, my uncle 
paid the debt of nature while employed on that service. 
He was in the act of lighting his pipe at the pipe of 
a brother officer, but sitting on horseback in front of 
their troop, when a cannon-ball from the enemy’s lines 
took off their heads, and deprived me of the only real 
friend I ever had in the world. Hot and bitter w'ere 
the tears which I shed, when the sad news reached me ; 
and many a time since have I felt my cheeks moist, 
when the image of my excellent relative has come back 
to my memory. 


CHAPTER II. 

IN WHICH THE SOLDIER GETS BETTER ACQUAINTED 
WITH HIS DUTY. 

The campaign of 1794 ended, as I have said, very 
much to the disadvantage of Hompesch’s Hussars. Out 
of the twelve hundred men that followed Baron Charles 
to the field, only a handful returned, on which, as on a 
nucleus, he began, in the autumn of the same year, to 
form his regiment anew. Nothing could exceed the 
success which attended his recruiting. To be sure, we 
were not particular as to the country or lineage of the 
individual who offered khnself as our companion in 
arms. So long as Jie was fit for mUitary service, could 


THE HUSSAR. 


15 


ride, or was willing to be taught, no further questions 
were put to him ; by which means we soon brought 
together into our camp, Germans, Russians, Prussians 
Danes, Swedes, Hanoverians, Poles, and even one or 
two Tartars. But there was a circumstance attending 
the re-formation of the corps, to look back upon which 
even now gives me pain. Baron Hompesch, though a 
German himself, entertained sostrong a partiality for the 
P»ench, that out of the whole body of his officers, more 
than two-thirds were selected from that nation. Now I 
have nothing to say against the bravery or skill of the 
French as officers. They are fine fellows certainly; 
but I do think that the Germans are quite equal to 
them ; and 1 am certain that the consequence of our 
having such a preponderancy of emigrants in our re- 
giment was, that against all but Frenchmen the avenues 
to advancement were well nigh closed. 

It was singular enough that this new regiment of 
Hompesch should have assembled for training on the 
very same heath which had witnessed the training of the 
old regiment, and that it should have had as its con- 
sorts in the camp and field the identical corps which 
had manoeuvred so often with the gallant dead. Yet 
this was not the only nor the most remarkable circum- 
stance that attended us. I know not whence it came 
about, but a rumour gained by degrees credit among us, 
that the whole of the six regiments (for Montelambert’s 
was not included) were designed for transportation to 
England. Now at the time of which I am speaking, 
there prevailed throughout all Germany the greatest 
horror of England, and of the English service. We 
had been taught to believe that England was never at 
peace, and that all her soldiers were liable to be sent, 
and were sent, to act as marines on board of the fleet. 
Of the sea, however, we had one and all the utmost 
dread. Born far inland, and knowing nothing of the 
customs of the coast, we took our opinion on such sub- 
jects from the reports of men who, iiaving ventured 


16 


THE HUSSAR. 


down to Rotterdam, either on business or pleasure, had 
there been themselves kidnapped, or witnessed the kid- 
napping of others. Our consternation, therefore, I am 
quite incapable of describing, when first the rumour be- 
gan to spread that our chiefs intended to carry us to Eng- 
land — because we took it for granted that, w'ere we 
once fairly embarked, we should never see our native 
land again, nor, indeed, escape from our floating pri- 
sons. Still, with very many, the feeling thus excited 
and kept alive produced no results that appeared to be 
dangerous to tliemselves or others. There were some 
on the contrary, who took a different view of this mat- 
ter, and of the plot into which they entered ; and though, 
at the time, I was profoundly ignorant of it, it will be 
best if I give here a detailed relation. 

The proportion of French to German officers in the 
regiment of- Hompesch was,- as I have said, about 
three to one : in several of the other corps, particularly 
the Old and New Ruen, and the regiment of Salem, it 
was still greater. Now there was scarcely one of these 
Frenchmen whose object in taking up arms had not 
,been to act against the republican oppressors of his own 
country, and in whom an order to withdraw from the 
seat of wJtr would not have occasioned the deepest morli- 
ycation. No sooner were they made aware of the senti- 
ments of the men, than the bol.der spirits among them 
resolved to take advantage of it. A conspiracy was en- 
tered into, at the Head of which a Captain Dalwig, of 
our regiment, placed himself, to march in a body and 
join the Prince of Conde, so soon as it should be ascer- 
tained, beyond the possibility of doubt, that England 
was our destination. Nay, I happen to know, that 
nothing, except the absence of funds, hindered these con- 
spirators, if such they ought to be called, from carrying 
their device into execution as it was matured. But they 
were all poor. They did not know where to find money, 
and they were afraid to move without it. At last Cap- 
tain Dalwig made a bold effort to remove the obstacle, 
out of which the following results came to pass. 


THE HUSSAR. 


17 


It was late in the autumn, and the rain fell so heavily, 
that no man, except at the call of duty, or when pressed 
by urgent business, ever ventured beyond the camp. 
Twice a day, indeed, the horses were led to water 
at a large pond or tarn, about five hundred yards 
beyond the rear-guard ; but except when thus em- 
ployed, or when standing sentry, we seldom emerg- 
ed from our tents. The officers, to be sure, had 
the mess-house, a temporary wooden building, were they 
often spent the day together ; and the Colonel did his 
best to amuse and keep the men in good humour, by 
providing ample supplies of beer and tobacco^ But we 
were not a little flat, when an event befel which put us, 
for a while at least, a good deal on our mettle. There 
was in our regiment one Major Tagtunck, with whom 
Captain Dalwig lived on terms of great intimacy. This 
gentleman received, during the autum, a sum of money 
from home, and his friend Captain Dalwig resolved to 
gain possession of it. He had seen in the Major’s tent 
a small box, standing in a corner by itself, in which he 
naturally concluded that the cash lay hid; and having 
watched his opportunity, he one morning seized, put it 
under his cloak, and walked away with it. It was a 
day of great storms : the wind blew high, and the rain 
came down in torrents, so that, except the vidette at the 
Colonel’s tent door, nobody was abroad to watch him ; 
and as his cloak was ample in its folds, he had every 
reason to conclude that the real cause of his wearing it 
wquld never come to light. 

Well, Captain Dalwig stole the box ; but, instead of 
carrying it home to his own tent, he walked to the rear, 
passed the guard, made his way the the pond, of which 
the edges were covered with tall spear grass ; and pene- 
trating into the swamp, he sought out a convenient spot, 
and there thrust his prize into the mud. This done, he 
returned to the camp, and for a while attracted no atten- 
tion. 

But the absence of his box was not slov^i in being dis- 
B2 


18 


THE HUSSAR. 


covered by the Major. He questioned his servant, who 
had left it safe, and had seen nobody enter the tent by 
whom it was likely to be removed. He applied to the 
sentry, who declared that, since he came to his post, 
only Captain Dalwig had gone and come. “ Had he 
entered the tent ?” “Yes.” “ Did he carry anything 
out ?” The man could not say, for the Captain was 
wrapped up in his cloak. “ Whither did he go? 
“To the rear,” Here then was something of a clue, at 
all events, and the Major followed it up with great per- 
tinacity. He examined the rear-guard. They had 
seen Captain Dalwig go to the pond, and fish, as they 
supposed, for eels ; but the day was so rough that no- 
body could face it, so he soon returned again. 

On to the pond went the Major. He saw the print 
of feet, and being satisfied that he had got on the right 
scent, he hurried back to the camp. There he sum- 
moned to him the Adjutant, one or two officers besides, 
and the man who had stood sentry on the ColonePs 
tent *, and he carried the whole body down to the pond, 
without giving them a hint of the business on which 
they were about to be employed. But it was now time 
to speak out. He stated what had befallen, as well as 
the nature of his own suspicions, and the grounds on 
which they rested ; and passing into the swamp, they dis- 
covered the missing box, covered over with weeds, as 
the delinquent had left it. The consequences to Cap- 
tain Dalwig could not fail to be serious. He was put 
in irons, and sentries placed over him, while an express 
was sent off to the Colonel, then residing in Bremen, to 
make him aware of what had happened. I am sorry 
that I cannot tell what was the ultimate fate of Captain 
Dalwig ; I only know that, by Baron Hompesch’s or- 
ders, he was removed from the camp a prisoner, and 
that we never saw him afterwards. 

The incidents which I have just related were kno^\^l 
to us all at the moment. Of the motives by which 
Captain Dalwig was swayed, we were not informed till 


THE HUSSAR. 


19 


long afterwards. But it appeared that his failure to se- 
cure this money, though it cast a temporary damp upon 
the spirits of the mutineers, by no means caused them 
to waver in their determinations. A new leader stood 
forward in the person of an officer belonging to the re- 
giment of Salem ; a fine old soldier, who had served as 
Lieutenant-Colonel in the French regiment of the 
Dauphin’s dragoons. This man conducted their corres- 
pondence with equal skill and energy, and warned them 
that the day for action could not be far distant. Nor 
was it far distant. One day, in the month of December, 
it came out, through the Colonel’s lady, that our desti- 
nation would certainly be England, where we w^ere to 
take rank and do duty as Queen Charlotte’s body 
guards. Now, as I have already stated, the ideas of 
England, and of perpetual imprisonment on board of 
ship, could not in our minds be separated; and the con- 
spirators, whose plans were all matured, determined not 
to waste another hour, but to take advantage of the ef 
feet of this confirmation of the men’s fears at once to 
accomplish their purposes. 

The tents which we occupied were like those issued 
to the English troops — of a bell or sugarloaf form, 
having a pole in the centre, and flaps beneath which 
our saddles and other horse accoutrements might be 
kept dry. Each tent was assigned to eight men, who, 
spreading straw or hay upon the ground, slept at night 
with their heads towards the pole, and their feet to the 
walls of the tent. One nigl.t I had retired as usual, 
and together with three of my comrades, stripped, and 
was about to lie down, when we observed that the other 
four not only made no movement to undress, but ap- 
peared to be unusually busy. They drew their furni- 
ture out of its place — they examined their pistols and car- 
bines, and filled their pouches with ammunition. Now 
we had no ammunition, neither had any been served 
out to the brigade. We were, therefore, much struck 
by their proceedings, and demanded the cause of 
them. 


20 


THE HUSSAR. 


“ Oh, there’s cause enough,” said one of the men 
“and you won’t be many minutes older ere you know 
nil about it. The best tiling you can do is to throw in 
your lot with us. We are not going to England, and 
we advise you not to go neither.” 

This announcement led of course to a communica- 
tion of the mighty plot, which f(»r months had been 
carried forward in the camp, and we learned to our 
amazement, that on the firing of a couple of pistols, mul- 
titudes from every regiment, with their arms and horses, 
would meet and move off in good order. We listened 
to the tale in breathless w'onder, but we positively re- 
fused to join the narrators. Betray them, indeed, we 
could not, had we even desired to do so, for we were 
naked, and they armed, but neither their arguments nor 
their jokes jMrevailed to shake our constancy ; and ceas- 
ing at last to urge the point further, they addressed 
themselves once more io their preparations. Nor had 
these been long completed, when bang went first one 
pistol in the front, and then bang, another in the rear. 
As quick as thought our four comrades sprang to their 
feet. Their saddles, bridles, and other appointments 
were on their arms in a moment ; the next saw them 
fitted to their horses, and at the third all were mounted, 
and pushing at full speed to the appointed rallying 
ground in front of the camp. Thither, too, proceeded, 
from all the other alignements, scores of troopers, in the 
best order, who fell into their places with the regularity 
of a parade, wheeled into column and set forward. 
Moreover, the whole thing was managed by those who 
knew perfectly what they were about. Trumpets 
sounded, advanced-guards and rear-guards were equally 
thrown out, and away they went at a brisk trot, leaving 
behind them a scene of indescribable alarm and con- 
fusion. 

The report of the pistol shots, followed by the bray- 
ing of trumpets, and the rapid tread of hoofs as the 
conspirators passed through the lines, soon roused 


THE HUSSAR. 


21 


every man and officer in the camp. The bugles began 
to sound, and in all directions might be seen people 
hurrying to and fro, some naked, others half dressed, and 
all demanding from those who met them the cause 
of the disturbance. At last the retreat of the con- 
spirators was ascertained, and the whole of the 
remaining force received orders to accoutre, and to pur- 
sue with as little delay as possible. For in Germany, 
where are so many independent states, which abut one 
upon another, the escape of deserters, if not immediately 
intercepted, is inevitable, inasmuch as he who once pas- 
ses the frontier of a foreign principality is safe from 
pursuit. Now the heath of Schwarm lies at no great 
distance from the borders of Brunswick one side, and 
of Prussia on the other ; it was therefore of the utmost 
consequence to cut off the conspirators from both these 
points, otherwise all control over them would be lost. 
On theref re we went, at the top of our speed, as soon 
as the regiments were formed, with such a preponder- 
ancy of numbers as nothing it w^as imagined could re- 
sist. But as we closed upon the fugitives, our inferi- 
ority in one essential respect was painfully taught us. 
We had no ammunition, they were well supplied ; and 
their rear-guard, by a continued and well-directed fire of 
carbines, kept us at a distance. And never have I seen 
an officer play his part more gallantly than the French 
colonel did, by whom the conspiracy came in the end to 
be managed. He took his station with the last of the 
rear-guard ; he changed his positions from time to time, 
according to the nature of the country through which 
he passed ; and showed himself anxious only to secure 
for his people a safe retreat. But all his exertions did 
not prevail. There lay on the frontier an English re- 
giment, the fifteenth dragoons, commanded, I believe, by 
Lord Cathcart in person. An express reached them in 
time, and the general, throwing himself between the 
fugitives and their line of retreat, stopped them. Then 
we closed upon them from the rear, in such force, that 


22 


THE HUSSAR. 


resistance became hopless; we surrounded them, and 
after a fruitless effort to break through, they laid down 
their arms. 

The conspirators were brought back to the heath of 
Schwann and thoroughly sifted. The multitude were 
reasoned with as deluded men, and sent back to their 
duty, while three, of whom the French colonel was one, 
were selected as fit, from their rank, and conduct in 
the business, to be made examples of to the rest. They 
were sent close prisoners to Bremen, tried by a court- 
martial, and condemned to suffer. Meanwhile Baron 
Hoir.pesch paraded his regiment, and addressed them 
in a speech so moving, that it brought tears into my 
eyes. He assured them, that the misconduct of a por- 
tion had not diminished his affection for the whole ; that 
he pitied even the delinquents, whose noble feelings had 
been imposed upon ; and that his only wish was to re- 
cover their confidence, which could nowhere be more 
safety reposed than in him, and in the rest of his of- 
fleers. Let them never listen again to designing men. 
Wherever the regiment w^ent, there should he go also; 
whatever their fortunes might be, he should share them ; 
his ambition never having extended further than to be 
treated by his men as their farther. Finally, having 
told us not to believe every idle rumour that might 
reach us — for we should certainly pass that winter on 
the Elbe, he dismissed us, not indeed reconciled to the 
prospect of transportation to England, but much moved 
by the force of Ins eloquence. Nevertheless, it soon be- 
came apparent that, on the part of our superiors, very 
little confidence was reposed in us. The camp was 
broken up the very next day, and the six regiments 
were scattered over the face of the country, each pitch- 
ing its tents in a field by itself, and no two being per- 
mitted to keep up the slightest intercourse with one 
another. 

We had occupied our new position but a very few 
days, when a general parade was ordered, and he heard, 


THE HUSSAR. 


23 


as we proceeded towards the place of muster, that the 
heads of the conspiracy were that morning to be shot. 
Accordingly the six regiments met on the heath of 
Schwarm, where they drew up on three sides of a square, 
the fourth side being vacant. Yet the objects which 
there met our eyes were striking enough. Three graves 
had been dug over-night, beside which stood three open 
coffins ; and the country people, who soon began to col- 
lect in crowds, made us aware, by-and bye, that those 
by whom they were to be occupied were approaching. 
It may be necessary to add, that on our flank stood de- 
tachments of artillery, who loaded their guns with canis- 
ter, and turned tlieir muzzles towards us — while the 
English regiment kept somewhat apart, as if ready to 
act should occasion require. Well, v/e had remained 
thus about an hour and a half, when the sound of mili- 
tary music, low and plaintive, was heard in our rear. 
It grew gradually louder, and we could by-and-bye dis- 
tinguish that a dead march was played, a circumstance 
which, of itself, would have sufficed to inform us, had 
the peasantry been silent, that the prisoners were at 
hand. They came, each attended by a clergyman, and 
all strictly guarded ; and two out of the three walked 
dejectedly, like men who felt their situation. The third, 
namely, the Lieutenant-Colonel, kept his head erect, 
and, instead of attending to his spiritual companion, 
looked earnestly from time to time towards a large New- 
foundland dog. This noble animal had been his com- 
panion for some years ; and now, as it walked by his 
side to the place of execution, he ceased not to pat its 
ample head, and seemed pleased when it answered to his 
caress. Such was the order in which they came, till 
having reached our ground, a squadron wheeled back 
by threes, and they were admitted into the heart of the 
square. It is customary in like cases to tie up the eyes 
of the prisoners, in order that they may not shrink 
when the signal for firing is given ; while they them- 
selves, kneeling upon their coffins, await the word in the 


24 


THE HUSSAR. 


attitude of prayer. His companions readily acceded to 
the wishes of the officer by whom the firing party was 
commanded ; but the Colonel would do nothing of the 
sort. No; he had faced death too often to fear 
him now : he would neither permit himself to be 
blindfolded, nor bend the knee. In an upright position, 
and smoking his cigar, he stood to receive the volley ; 
and when he saw the carbines levelled, he held out his 
breast proudly towards them. There was but one dis- 
charge. Several balls passed through his head, others 
riddled his companions in misfortune, and all three, af- 
ter we had inarched round and gazed upon them, 
were thrust into their coffins, and committed to the 
dust* 

1 must not forget to say one word relative to the Co- 
lonel’s dog. When he found himself besides his coffin, 
the Colonel embraced his fourfooted companion, and 
gave him to one of the soldiers on duty, who led him 
aside by the collar, like one who understood his part, and 
was prepared to play it out. The dog whined and 
struggled a little, as if anxious to return to his master 
— but no time was afforded for such a display. The 
volley pealed out; the dog bounded on his hind legs, 
and barked aloud : but his new master held him tight. 
He was led off the ground, vainly resisting, and I can- 
not tell what became of him afterwards. 


CHAPTER HI. 

1 VISIT ENGLAND, AND SEE SOMETHING OF OTHER LANDS* 

We returned to our camp on the evening of that day, 
very much down-hearted; for the spectacle which we 
had witnessed was a melancholy one, and our hopes 
concerning the future were far from bright. To be 
sure, Baron Charles was kind and considerate towards 


THE HUSSAR. 


25 


us; and his assurance that we should winter on the 
Elbe had the effect of throwing our fears a good deal 
into the distance. But the passage of a few days suf- 
ficed to renew again, to their utmost pitch, the appre- 
hensions under which we laboured. There came an 
order, we knew not whence, to inspect the horses, and 
to cast such as might be unfit for service; and the 
severity of the weather had of late so affected them, that 
a considerable proporfion out of the whole number were 
condemned. Immediately a suspicion arose that we 
were all to be dismounted ; and when, in addition to 
this, we received orders to march for Staden, to a man 
we concluded that we should thenceforth act as infantry 
on board the English fleet. Not often has a regiment 
of German hussars executed a movement in worse or- 
der than that which marked the progress of our jour- 
ney from the heath of Schwarm to Staden. In spite of 
a strong rear-guard, and all the vigilance of the officers, 
many deserted by the way; and many more, when 
brought out into mutiny. I do not know that any lives 
were lost, though even that is possible, for swords were 
drawn and blows struck without regard to consequences. 
Nevertheless, after a good deal of trouble and confusion, 
both men and horses were embarked, after which the 
ships parted from their moorings, and dropping down to 
an anchorage off the port of Gluckstadt there took their 
stations. 

I had never seen the mighty ocean till now. J had 
never beheld a fleet, nor witnessed the wonders that are 
visible to those who occupy their business in great 
waters ; and I acknowledge that the effect produced upon 
my mind was quite overwhelming. We lay at the very 
mouth of the Elbe, and though land was on either side 
of us, in front was the North Sea, rolling its huge waves 
to and fro in unspeakable magnificence. There was 
around us, too, a perfect forest of masts ; while the music 
fo the differant bands, as they played on the ships’ decks 
— the occasional booming of signal-guns — the constant 

VoL. 1.— C 


26 


THE HUSSAR. 


interchange of communications, by flags during the day, 
by blue lights at night — produced altogether such an 
effect, as to stupify by reason of its intensity. Nor was 
it by me alone that the influence of novelty was expe- 
rienced. The men in general forgot their fears in the 
contemplation of so many wonders, and fora brief space, 
being well supplied with provisions of every, sort, they 
appeared reconciled to their destiny. But week after 
w'eek passed on, and we still continued stationary ; and 
the winter set in with its furious storms and terrible 
sea-sickness ; whatever of enthusiasm might have been 
excited for a moment soon died away, and we became 
as anxious as ever to give Baron Hompesch the slip, 
and to return to our own homes. It was a most unwise 
policy that which kept us confined in narrow transports, 
during the whole winter; for it taught us to regard our 
Colonel as a deceiver, who, keeping the word of promise 
to the ear, and breaking it to the sense, was not to be 
trusted. 

Desperate as our situation might well appear to be, 
there were not wanting among us those who still con- 
tinued to meditate an escape, and to devise plans for effect- 
ing it. We were visited daily, particularly from the 
Danish side, by bum-boats, which brought alongside 
bread, beer, tobacco, and fruit, and drove with us, to 
whom pay had been recently issued, a very profitable 
trade. It was resolved by some of our most determined 
sea-haters, to seize one of these vessels ; and, to the num- 
ber of about a dozen, they accomplished their purpose. 
There was a sort of cutter, or large open sail-boat, which 
came every day to the ship’s side, about noon, and was 
in the habit of staying one, or two, or three hours, ac- 
cording to the facility with which the owner might dis- 
pose of his wares. Her crew consisted of only two men, 
and these my comrades made up their minds to over- 
power. Accordingly, one day, when all hands were 
below watering their horses, and the officers had with- 
drawn into the cabin to lunch, the conspirators, having 


THE HUSSAR. 


27 


armed themselves with swords and pistols, rushed upon 
deck — seized the two boatmen, who had just come on 
board — thrust them down into the hold — shut the hatch- 
es upon them, with threats of doing more — and passed, 
in a shorter space of time than I have taken to describe 
it, into the bum-boat. In an instant it was up sail and 
away. They waved their caps to us, gave us a hearty 
cheer, and, having the wind in their favour, we saw them 
slum through the deep like a water-fowl, when some ene- 
my has scared her, and she is too much alarmed to fly. 
It was to no purpose that the officers, taking the alarm, 
shouted to them to return — or that a signal-gun being 
fired, the man-of-war’s launches all hastened in pursuit.. 
The fugitives got so near to the Danish shore, that they 
ran the boat aground, and then leaped, up to their necks, 
into the water. Moreover, Baron Hompesch, who chan- 
ced at the time to be sojourning in the town of Gluck - 
stadt, vainly offered them a free pardon if they would 
return. They had made up their minds to dare the 
worst ; and as the authorities of the place could not re- 
fuse them passports, they set out next day on their pro- 
gress homewards. What became of them eventually I 
do not know ; but it is probable that they either returned 
to their homes, or took service with one or other of the 
corps which were then collecting recruits for continen- 
tal service everywhere throughout Germany. 

The escape of these twelve had the natural effect of 
increasing the vigilance of those whose business it was 
to hinder so inlscliievous a precedent from being follow- 
ed. Great precautions were taken to keep the rest of 
us where we were, and they succeeded ; for after a 
cheerless winter, about eleven hundred men, with per- 
haps half as many horses, still answered to the name 
of Hompesch’s Hussars ; and in spite of our reluctance 
to cross the sea, it was felt by most of us as a relief, 
when on the 7th of April, 1795, the signal for sailing 
was hoisted. Our voyage, to be sure, was a rough one, 
Ibr we had scarce lost sight of land, when a storm arose, 


28 


THE HUSSAR. 


during^ the continuance of which we were battened 
under hatches. Yet we got through it at last; and but 
for the circumstance that one of our men’s wives 
brought a little one into the world during the height of 
its violence, I do not know that I should have paused to 
remark upon it. Poor things, they were as well taken 
care of in the trying hour as circumstances would 
allow ; and they survived it, only to be committed a few 
months subsequently to the deep. 

We had been just a week at sea, the latter portion of 
•which was fine, when the shores of England became 
visible, and we gazed upon them from the vessel’s side 
full of admiration and wonder. We steered for Ports- 
mouth, between which and the Isle of Wight we cast 
anchor ; our berth being in the middle of such a fleet 
as might have struck with awe the oldest sailor that 
ever ploughed the deep. Ships of war of every size 
and class were there without number. Merchantmen 
transports, victuallers, crowded round them, while to 
and fro boats were continually passing, as if all the mar- 
itime affairs of the whole world had been under dis- 
cussion. Nobody from our vessel, however, was per- 
mitted to go on shore. On the contrary, after laying 
in a slight stock of fresh provisions, we again hoisted 
sail, and made for the mouth of the Southampton river, 
where, at a place called Hythe, on a neck of land jut- 
ting into the sea, we were finally disembarked, and 
marched into quarters. 

We had every reason to be satisfied with the pains 
which the English government must have taken to ren- 
der us comfortable. Hut barracks, composed of wood, 
were prepared for us, and commodious stables for our 
horses ; w'hile our bedding, provisions, pay, and general 
, allowances, were all on the most liberal scale. Neither 
did any great while elapse ere a thorough remount was 
provided for us ; so that in the course of a w'eek or two 
we felt as soldiers ought to do, w'ho respect themselves, 
anH are taught from experience to feel, that they are in 


THE HUSSAR. 


29 


the service of a just and liberal g-overnment. It seem 
ed, too, as if the English were determined to load us 
with honours, and by so doing, to remove whatever of 
disinclination to the new service might linger iu our 
minds. We had been less than a month in the country 
when his Royal Highness the Duke of York, the Prince 
of Wales, and the whole of the head-quarter staff, came 
down to review us. I knew that we went through the 
manoeuvres of the day in a very creditable manner, and 
that our appearance, bearing, and general state of disci 
pline deserved approbation ; but I fancy, now, that the 
encomiums bestowed upon us were exaggerated. Not 
content to feast us, after the review was over, upon 
roasted sheep and hogsheads of ale, the Prince of Wales 
caused it to be announced that he had adopted us as his 
own regiment ; and taking away our old buttons, gave 
us new — richly plated, and stamped with the ostrich 
feathers and the motto of the principality. After this 
there was not a man among us that doubted that our 
next remove would be to London, and our next duty 
over Queen C^iarlotte; and when in the month of June 
there came an order to embark, we concluded that the 
only means of reaching ,the English capital was by 
water. 

We went on board of ship as quietly as possible, and 
congratulated one another on our good fortune, won- 
dering, indeed, how long the voyage would last, but 
never doubting as to its purpose. Thus it was, when, 
on the morning of the third day some staff-officers 
went round the ships, and read from an orderly-book 
the commander-in-chief’s direction, that we should pro- 
ceed without loss of time to St. Domingo. There was 
not a soul among us who knew where St. Domingo lay, 
or what we should do when we arrived there, till the 
colonel, w’ho followed the cortege, explained that it was 
a place where gold and silver abounded ; and that the 
King of England sent us to that favoured spot, in order 
that we might return, each man, with a fortune. He 
C2 


30 


THE HUSSAR. 


spoke with great animation, and seemed to expect that 
we should cheer him when his speecli ended ; but we 
had not forgotton the harangue on Schwarm Heath, 
and continued silent. Neither were we left long in 
ignorance as to the real nature of the country towards 
which it was the will of our new masters that we 
should proceed. The sailors soon informed us that our 
destination was the West Indies, and it is but justice 
to add, that we heard their declaration without surprise. 
Yet we were surprised when it came to be bruited 
about, that Baron Hompesch was not to accompany us. 
“It is only of a piece with the rest of his behaviour,” 
said we; “let him stay — who cares? his successor. 
Colonel Hellemer, is as good a soldier as he, and we 
will follow him cheerfully, for he will never forfeit his 
word.” 

Our voyage to the West Indies occupied the space of 
seven weeks ; for we quitted Southampton about the 
middle of June, and beheld the lovely shores of Barba- 
does loom above the waters, some time in the begin- 
ning of August We did not land here, though we lay 
at anchor sometime in the roadstead, and were liberally 
supplied by the Governor with fruit at the public ex- 
pense, and with fresh provisions at our own. Neither 
had there occurred during the passage anything worthy 
of mention, except that the woman and child, to whom 
I have already alluded, both died, and were both com- 
mitted to the deep. In like manner, though we formed 
part of the force which, under Sir Ralph Abercrombie, 
reduced the island of St. Lucie, I cannot say that in 
the glories of that enterprise we had any right to share. 
It is true that an aide-de-camp came on board with an 
order that we should leave our horses, and disembark as 
light infantry to aid in the assault of the fort. But this 
our gallant colonel positively refused to do. “ My regi- 
ment,” said he, “ is a cavalry regiment : we are quite 
ready to serve anywhere as such, but we know nothing 
of the duties of infantry soldiers, and must refuse to 


THE HUSSAR 


31 


tiriderlake them.’’ The consequence of this remom 
Btrance was, that we remained quietly in our ships, 
whence we beheld with the liveliest interest the pro- 
gress of the assault; which, as it was carried on cluefly 
by night, presented to us a spectacle such as soldiers 
love to gaze upon, and civilians to read about Three 
days’ fighting sufficed to reduce the fort, which stood 
upon, the top of a conical hill, and was gallantly defended; 
after which the whole island submitted, and the troops 
employed being left free to proceed to their respective 
destinations, we, as a matter of course, steered for St 
Domingo. 

It is no business of mine to state what the circum- 
stances might be whiph carried an armed hostile force 
in the year 1794, from England to St Domingo. I 
knew at the time too little of the English language to 
inquire into that matter; and had the contrary been 
the case, I should have scarcely thought witli my no- 
tions of a soldier’s duty and the habits of a soldier’s 
life of instituting such inquiry. All, therefore, that I 
am now required to say is, tliat our regiment landed at 
a place called Cape Nicholas Mole, where we found an 
encampment already formed, and whence, after some 
time given to repose and refreshment, we passed forward 
to the chief harbour on that coast, the city of Port au 
Prince. There we disembarked, carrying with us oar 
horses, baggage, and all other things necessary for ser- 
vice; being nothing loath to escape from the imprison- 
ment of a ship, and mightily pleased both with the 
scenery and the excellent living that was afforded. For 
all the necessaries, and most of the luxuries of life 
were abundant ; and our arrears of pay being punc- 
tually accounted for, we had funds at our disposal 
amply sufficient for the gratification of our most extrav- 
agant wishes. Yet there occurred an incident there 
whicJi had well nigh led to serious consequences. 

We were marched to a sort of bazaar or public mar- 
ket, surrounded on all sides by long ranges of build- 


32 


THE HUSSAR. 


ings, the egress to which was througli a single gate, at 
which of course a guard was mounted. 'I'hcre, to- 
gether with some English infantry, quarters were as- 
signed to us, which in themselves were far from being 
commodious, and which were rendered the less so by 
reason of their lying at some distance from the stables 
where our horses were accommodated. Now, it so 
happened that an order had been issued to hinder the 
English soldiers from passing into the town without 
leave — whereas we were free to go and come when we 
liked, so long as we came back at the usual hour of 
roll-call, nine o’clock at night. I don’t know by what 
motive the English soldiers were actuated, but they 
took it into their heads to refuse a passage to us, and 
the officer commanding the guard, instead of reproving 
them for the act, openly joined in it. VVe were not 
inclined to endure such treatment as this. We knew 
not one word of their language — we were quite igno- 
rant of their customs — we only felt assured that noth- 
ing had been said to us which could be construed into 
an order of restraint, and we determined to resist. Ac- 
cordingly, about a hundred of us in number came 
forth, sword in hand, knocked down the sentry, burst 
through the gate, and called upon our comrades to fol- 
low. In a moment the officer on duty turned out his 
guard and made the men prime and load. Information 
was sent off to the general commanding, and some six- 
pounders golloping dowm, were turned towards the bar- 
racks. Meanwhile the hussars within complained to 
their officers, and demanded either that they would see 
their wrongs redressed, or give them leave to vindicate 
their own honour with their own hands. And truly, it 
was well for all parties, that Colonel Hellemer arrived 
in time, to repress the fury of a thousand angry men, 
all of them armed ; for we felt that we were more than 
a match for the English infantry, and as to the guns 
these we could have carried at a rush. But the Colo- 
nel having assured us that he would see into tlie matter. 


THE HUSSAR. 


33 


we became quiet, while he hurried away to head-quar- 
ters and gave his version of the story. The result was, 
that in a quarter of an hour the cannon were with- 
drawn. An order came out that no one belonging to 
our corps should be interrupted, and we spent a fort- 
night or three weeks agreeably enough ; enjoying full 
liberty of egress and ingress, and subject only to the 
accustomed restraints, to which all soldiers are liable. 


CHAPTER IV. 

1 SEE SOME SERVICE, AND WITJJESS SERIOUS ACaDENTS 
IN ST. DOMINGO. 

Our sojourn in Port au Prince, after the date of this 
adventure, was not very protracted. It was judged ex- 
pedient to reinforce the army in advance, and we were 
marched, inconsequence, some miles towards the moun- 
tains, where we occupied tlie plantations of Jemecour, 
Cheitre, Borshlaw, &c., as far as St. Mary, in the dis- 
trict of St. Marc. There we remained for some months, 
in the presence, as we were told, of our enemy, and en- 
gaged, according to the language of the day, in the 
business of real war ; but for my part, I could not avoid 
remarking to those with whom I associated, that if this 
were indeed war, we had no cause to wish, at any mo- 
ment, for the return of peace. Our commissariat, be 
it observed, was supplied, not only with regularity, but 
in abundance. We had no fighting, or next to none, 
nor did any troops show themselves, for whom we should 
have been justified in enlertaining sentiments even of 
respect Numbers of brigands endea\oured, it is true, 
to penetrate from time to time within our outposts ; and 
under cover of night they occasionally succeeded in 
stealing a horse or two, or committing some otlier petty 
theft. But as to military operations, properly so called. 


34 


THE HUSSAR. 


there were none ; our most perilous duties never goli^ 
beyond a patrol, or at the most, an escort of stores or 
provisions to head-quarters. It may not be amiss, how- 
ever, if I describe what befel on a certain occasion, 
when I chanced to be one of a party whose business it 
was to bring up corn, money, and a stock of medicines, 
from Port au Prince to Cheitre, the head-quarters of the 
regiment. 

In the warfare which they carried on in the Isle of 
St. Domingo, the English were opposed by two parties, 
by the French republicans, including the whole of the 
regular army, on the one hand ; and by swarms of run- 
away negroes, headed by their own chiefs, on the other. 
These latter were not only very active, but very orderly 
and intelligent. They acted chiefly by night, when 
moving about among the underwood, in a state of ab- 
solute nudity, and encumbered by no load whatever, 
except their firelocks and accoutrements, they harassed 
such of our piquets as kept post at a distance, and now. 
and then made their way into the rear. On the day 
above referred to, a half troop of Hompesch’s hussars, 
consisting of forty men, marched to Port au Prince in 
the morning, and having received their convoy, set out 
again for the front, which they hoped to reach long 
before midnight. They were far on their way, and 
darkness had set in some time, when being in a narrow 
road, between two hedges of prickly citrons, they were 
suddenly attacked by a body of brigands, and thrown 
into some confusion. Tlie brigands, it afterwards ap- 
peared, had discovered, God knows how, that there was 
money in charge of the troops ; and seeing a mule 
loaded with a large chest, they dashed towards her. 
They were successful in the attack, and drove her off. 
But their chagrin may be judged of by the mirth which 
was excited among us, when it was ascertained that 
the chest carried off contained only medicines. Neither 
were they so fortunate by-and-bye though tiiey made a 
fierce attempt to retrieve their error. We were now oa 


THE HUSSAR. 


35 


the alert — our rear-guard was strengthened, and having 
lost a man or two, with a couple of horses, we brought 
in the rest of our valuable charge safely to head-quar. 
ters. 

Up to this period, and for some lime afterwards, our 
supplies came in regularly, and in abundance. A large 
portion of them we drew from Mirabelle, a town of 
considerable importance in the interior, of which our 
allies (for we had allies among the French royalists), 
aided by a corps of blacks, kept possession. They were 
attacked, however, by the republicans, and overpowered 
— which threw us, for a while, upon the fleet’s stores — 
and though they rallied, the enemy proved too strong 
for them, and Mirabelle was lost. Our general deter- 
mined to recover it, and the army received orders to 
advance for that purpose. We marched in three columns 
— those upon the right and left moved along the com- 
mon roads of the country — that in the centre, to which 
our regiment was attached, was compelled to make a 
way for itself. Nor was the labour of doing so light. 
The entire face of the country was overspread with 
forests, the roots of which were closed up with the 
prickly pear, so close, so formidable, and so impervious, 
that the pioneers were kept continually at work, to open 
out for us a passage. The consequence, of course, was, 
that we rarely compassed more than eight miles in a 
day ; and sometimes fell short of six. Still the march 
was conducted with perfect regularity, and every night 
rockets and blue lights were thrawn up, so that each of 
the divided columns might know exactly the point 
where the others had halted. 

We met with no opposition from the enemy ; it was 
impossible indeed that we should ; but the nature of the 
country threw in our way some severe obstacles. For, 
besides the forests, of which I have just spoken, there 
were here and there rocky hills to surmount, which, to 
the cavalry at least, occasioned much trouble and some 
loss. On one occasion in particular, after we had been 


36 


THE HUSSAR. 


toiling- all day under a burning sun, we saw before us a 
precipitous ridge, which our guides informed us we 
must needs pass, because there was no spring nearer 
than at its opposite extremity. I must not forget to 
state that we had suffered that day terribly from the 
effects of thirst. There was no water to be had along 
the road, and the little which the men had brought in 
their canteens was all exhausted. Numbers had, there- 
fore, become so faint, that they could scarcely sit their 
horses, and some had even fallen to the ground. In 
particular, I recollect seeing a poor fellow stretched by 
the way side, whom an officer saved from death, by 
pouring the last drop out of the canteen which he him- 
self carried, into the sufferer’s mouth and before two 
hours were passed, I saw the same officer perish for 
the lack of that which he had generously given away. 
However, I cannot linger over scenes like this, for the 
precipice was before us ; and spent and feeble as we 
were, we faced it, under the expectation of finding relief 
on the other side. There was no riding up the face of 
that rock, which here and there opened out into terrible 
fissures, even to cast the eye down upon which caused 
the brain to turn round, for no bottom could be discern- 
ed. On, therefore, we went, each man leading his horse, 
which gathered up its feet like a cat op the edge of the 
gulf, and sprang over. Yet, all passed not thus. From 
time to time a cry from the lookers-on told of man and 
horse having missed their spring ; and the crash among 
the branches was all that proclaimed their progress to 
annihilation. Nevertheless, we gained the summit of 
he ridge at last, and began to descend. But our liorror 
may be conceived when the guides whom we had sent 
forward reported that the spring was dry. We had no 
power to complain. Our lips were black, our tongues 
clave to the roofs of our mouths ; we could only look 
up to Heaven, as if to seek that support from above 
which the earth refused to furnish. Nor did we ask it 
in vain. When our misery was at its height, tlie sky 


THE HUSSAR. 


37 


became all at once black with clouds, and God g-ave us 
water from above. Ay, some who have never felt as I 
did then, may smile when they are told that Providence 
interfered to save the lives of his creatures ; but when 
the rain came down, and we caught it in our handker- 
chiefs, and drank from them, or from the long grass at 
our feet, there were few among us so hardened as not 
to return thanks to Him from whom alone all blessings 
flow. Nay, the very horses seemed conscious of the 
arm that had sustained them. Tliey dashed their noses 
into the wet grass, and satisfied the demands, both of 
hunger and thirst, at the same momcyit. 

With the rain came a furious storm of thunder and 
lightning, which lasted all night. Every flash as it 
went forth showed the whole of the surrounding scenery 
for a moment, and then all was dark, while rock and 
covert sent buck in long and terrible echoes the peals 
which in rapid succession followed one another. Not a 
murmur escaped us, however, conscious as we were, 
that by such means alone could our lives have been 
preserved ; and when day-light returned, we resumed 
our march down into the plain, in the highest possible 
spirits. Again we were compelled to lead our horses, 
and our progress was slow, while the plain into which 
W3 emerged, proved quite unfit for the operations of 
cavalry, inasmuch as the whole of its surface was co- 
vered by fragments of rock, hurled down, as it seemed, 
from the peaks overhead, by some convulsion of nature. 
Yet this was a day of greater excitement than had 
occurred to us since first the advance began. The 
enemy showed in our front a battery of ten pieces, 
guarding a sort of avenue through a wood, which it 
was necessary to force; and after a fruitless effort to 
silence their fire by some discharges from our moun- 
tain guns, the infantry were moved on for the purpose 
of storming it. Nothing could be executed in better 
style than this attack, One rush put the assailants in 
VoL. r.— D 


38 


THE HUSSAR 


possession of the battery ; from which the enemy re* 
treated in disorder, leaving some prisoners beliind. 

Having cleared the way of this obstacle, we resumed 
our march, and about two o’clock found ourselves on 
the bank of a river, beyond which lay a rich and open 
plain of about six miles in extent, with the town of 
Merabelle in its centre. So well, too, had the move- 
ment been arranged, that in ten minutes after we halted, 
the heads of the other columns showed themselves, and 
all crossing the stream simultaneously entered the cul- 
tivated country, just out of cannon shot of the enemy’s 
works. Our general noA' sent in to summon the place, 
but the governor refused to surrender; and we made 
immediate dispositions for the assault. That night ther 
outworks were carried at the point of the bayonet, and 
next day saw the town of iMerabclle committed to the 
flames. 

This service accomplished, and Merabelle converted 
into a heap of ruins, so that it should not again be used 
by the enemy as a post for interrupting our supplies, 
we began our march back towards the lines in front 
of Port au Prince; during our progress towards which, 
an adventure befel me, of whicli it is necessary that I 
should make mention. The whole army now proceeded 
by the regular roads, and we were distributed by regi- 
ments and squadrons, as far as circumstances would 
allow, every night for shelter among the planters’ set- 
tlements that lay by the way side. I think it was in 
the evening of the second day, that the squadron to 
which I was attached took quarters in a respectable 
dwelling, that lay in a position of singular beauty, just 
under the elbow of a lofty mountain. We were well 
received by the inhabitants, who hastened to kill and 
dress some sheep for our supper, and who being inform- 
ed that the morrow would be a halting day, assured us 
that we should fare then, just as we did now. I w’as by 
this time a sergeant, and being well pleased with the 
civility of our hosts, was exhorting the men to act gen- 


THE HUSSAR. 


39 


erously towards them, when the master of the house 
came in, and eyed me with great attention. At last he 
said in German, “I perceive that you are not English; 
what countryman are you ?” I told him. He then 
demanded the name of my birth place. It was useless 
to say St. Dennis for nobody knew where St. Dennis lay 
— so I replied Dusseldorf. My host grasped my hand, 
said it was his own native city ; insisted upon my ac- 
companying him into his parlour, and being his par- 
ticular guest while we remained ; and I, as may be 
imagined, felt nothing loath to indulge him. Accord- 
ingly I was conducted into a well-furnished room, made 
to sit down at table, introduced to the lady of the man- 
sion, a mulatto, with two good-looking daughters, and 
treated in every respect as if I had been one of the 
family. By and by the ladies withdrew, and my new 
friend proceeded to make me acquainted with his his- 
tory. 

His name, it appeared, w’as Kiester. He was the 
son of a labourer upon the quay, and had himself work- 
ed when a boy at the crane, but getting tired of this 
business had joined a barge, wliich traded between Dus- 
seldorf and Rotterdam. At the latter place he was kid- 
napped and carried on board a Dutch ship of war, 
where the Irealjnent afforded him was of the w'orst 
kind, and his life became a burthen to him. At last, 
when tlie vessel touclied for water at Port Nicholas de 
Mole he found an opportunity to desert, and made his 
way alone and pennyless into Ihe interior. After sus 
taining various changes of fortune, he reached the 
plantation where I found him, and acted as clerk to the 
proprietor, a Frenchman from Alsace, wiio both spoke 
and understood German, and who behaved to him with 
the tenderness of a father. This man had one child, a 
mullatto. He gave her to his clerk to wife, and Mr. 
Kiester became, in consequence, at the decease of his 
benefactor, one of the wealthiest planters in this part 
of the colony. “ And,” continued he, “if you will be 


40 


THE HUSSAR. 


guided by me, a similar good fortune shall gild your 
latter days. I have no family except these two girls — 
choose which you will for your wife ; and I will imme- 
diately settle you on another of my estates, and adopt 
you as my son.” 

The offer was a very enticing one, but I rejected it. 
I did not relish the thought of deserting, and with nu- 
merous acknowledgments to Mr. Kiester for his gener- 
ous intentions, I told him so. He laughed at my scru- 
ples, and as to what I hinted touching the risk of being 
taken, that he held in sovereign contempt. “ Rest 
thou satisfied,” was his reply, “ I will hide thee where 
they will never be able to penetrate, and by and by, when 
they are all driven out of the island, thou wilt be secure. 
For the English will never become masters of St. 
Domingo, and be assured, the period is not very distant 
when they will be glad to escape from it.” I looked at 
this moment upon my host’s statement as a mere idle 
boast ; and continued inflexible to his intreaties ; little 
imagining that the latter part of his prophecy, at least, 
would so soon receive its fulfilment. Accordingly, 
having spent the next day in riding with him over his 
lands, and the evening in the society of his family, I 
mounted my horse on the following morning, and march- 
ed with my troop. It is just to add, that Mr. Kiester 
pressed upon my acceptance a couple of doubloons, and 
accompanied me to the end of our first day’s march, 
nor did he leave me till he had exacted a promise that I 
would well weigh his proposal, and inform him should 
any change occur in my sentiments. 

We returned to our old alignment, which extending 
from one bay to another, covered the approaches to Port 
au Prince, St. Nicholas de Mole, and St. Marc, with 
other places of note Ijing between them. For some 
time, however, we had, in a military point of view, 
hardly any employment; for the enemy were aware of 
our superior strenth, and held aloof from us. But if 
casualties rarely occurred from fire or sword, sickness 


THE HUSSAR. 


41 


began by degrees to make fearful havoc in our ranks. 
Fever burst in amongst us, and our men died by dozens 
every day. When it came to this, there were estab- 
lished at Cradobuckee two large hospitals — one for 
those in the first or worst stage of the malady, the other 
for convalescents — yet though the utmost care was ta- 
ken of the patients, both by doctors and nurses, the 
former sent comparatively few tenants to the latter. On 
the contrary, the mortality became such, that we ceased 
to bury the dead with any kind of cermony ; but sent a 
mule or donkey cart twice a day to the hospital, whence 
the corpses were- borne off, heaped one upon another, 
and tossed into pits. It was a sad state of things when you 
missed acomradefrom parade to-day, and on inquiring for 
him the day after, ascertained that he was in his grave; 
neither did the evil end here. The enemy were soon 
informed of our losses, and in exact proportion to our 
inability to cope with them, they became more bold 
and more obtrusive. 

While things were in this state, one or two incidents 
took place, which, as illustrating the habits of the bri- 
gands, and the nature of the perils to which we were ex- 
posed, I may be permitted to describe. The brigands* 
be it observed, had no taste for fighting. They would 
exchange long shots with us freely enough, if necessity 
required ; but they never voluntarily brought on a skir. 
mish — their sole object being plunder, particularly of 
horses and arms. We lay, at this time, by squadrons, 
in various estancias — one of which, called Chetrce, con- 
tained the head-quarters of the regiment. It chanced 
that I formed part of the head-quarter squadron, which 
kept its horses within a sort of kraal or enclosure, sur- 
rounded by long poles driven into the earth, at the dis- 
tance ofi perhaps, six inches from one another. The 
horses of the officers, again, were lodged in the stables 
of tire plantation, and there was one of these, Captain 
Mayatt, who being possessed of three beautiful animals, 
loved them as other people do their children. Captain 
D2 


42 


THE HUSSAR. 


Mayatt, however, was one of those cautious persons, 
who never expend a shilling if they can help it ; and 
finding no lock on the stable door, he would not go to 
the expense of providing one. He was content to give the 
sentry directions to look sharp after his treasure, and lay 
down night after night with an easy mind — undisturbed 
by any other cry than “ All’s w ell.” 

There came on one night, after the fever had terribly 
reduced us, a furious storm of thunder and rain, amid 
which, the darkness, except when dispelled for an in- 
stant by the lightning, was impenetrable. Throughout 
the whole of the tempest the sentry kept his guard ; and 
from time to time Captain Mayatt heard Jiirn eall, with 
composure, “ All’s well.” But when the morning broke, 
behold, all was not well. Some brigands had made 
their way into the stable, cut the halters by which the 
Captain’s favourites were fastened, and as the prints of 
their feet demonstrated, had them quietly conveyed to a 
redoubt upon a hill, which the main body occupied at 
some distance. When the sun arose, and Captain 
Mayatt ascertained all this, he was inconsolable. He 
ordered his troop to mount ; he followed the track within 
gun-shot of the redoubt, and was hindered from going 
ferther only by a positive prohibition from the C’olonel ; 
for the prints of the hoofs were still before him. At 
last he halted, and lifting up his telescope, applied it to 
his eye — “ Ah ! there is Jack,” cried he bitterly, 
“ there is Jack sure enough, and Spinster too — Oh ! un- 
happy man that 1 am ; tliere she stands looking at me, 
with her own bright eyes, and I cannot come near her.” 
There was no standing this, and we all laughed aloud, 
very much to the Captain’s chagrin, who day after day 
repaired to the same spot, in order that he might feast 
his eyes upon the dear creatures, and ascertain their 
condition. 

It was not, however, upon the horses of the officers 
alone, that the brigands made an attack — they would 
steal along upon their bellies to the fencing of the kraal 


THE HUSSAR. 


— tear up or cut down some poles, and lead away some- 
times as many as six or eight troopers in a night. Nay, 
they wei»t even further than this. There was a piquet 
of a Serjeant and twelve, mounted at sunset, to protect 
the kraal. Two acted asvidettes — two more patrolled 
— and the remainder tying up their horses, were ac- 
customed to sleep round a 6rc, or otherwise dispose of 
themselves according to their own humour. One mor- 
ning when they were about to come otf duty, one of 
those who had slept from twelve till two, observed that 
his carbine was missing. He knew that he had left it 
in the boot, fastened to the saddle ; but behold, it was 
gone. This excited the curiosity of another and another, 
when it appeared that all were in the same predicament. 
The brigands had stolen upon the horses while the men 
slept ; and being afraid to lead away the animals them- 
selves, they had cut off every carbine, and emptied 
every holster of its pistol. But all our adventures with 
these woolly rascals were not so ludicrous. 

In the rear of the kraal stood a pigeon-house — suppor- 
ted upon four legs — of such a height, that during rain, a 
mounted vidette could place himself beneath, and so 
obtain some slielter. There had been a storm one night, 
and the man on duty was supposed to have taken refuge 
under this strange canopy ; but when the hour of relief 
returned he was nowhere to be found. The horse came 
back riderless to the kraal ; but the rider was gone. 
Well, day after day passed by and still no trace of him, 
till in the end, a notion became general, that he had 
deserted ; but it was not so. Two of our people having 
resolved to plunder the pigeon-house, got a ladder and 
ascended. They were struck by the horrible stench 
which issued from the place ; but they still went for- 
ward — and there, with his head cut off, they beheld 
all that remained of their late comrade, passing rapidly 
into decay. The fact was this. Some brigands got 
into the pigeon-house, and casting a lasso over the poor 
fellow’s head, dragged him from his horse by the neck. 


44 


THE HUSSAR. 


and hauled hi m up to their lurking- place. They there 
put him to death, and plundering him of his arms and 
accoutrements, escaped unobserved to their fastnesses. 

In proportion as hardships increased upon us, the 
discontent which some had from the outset experienced 
towards the service, became more settled. Desertions, 
for the first time, occurred, and the enemy, as if em- 
boldened by this circumstance, closed upon us with in- 
creased activity, rendering each patrol a service of dan- 
ger, and threatening all our communications. Among 
others, there quitted our ranks a man, of whom I shall 
have occasion to speak in the sequel, a native of Alsace, 
and a thorough soldier — serjeant Bliss. He went over 
to the enemy with his horse and other appointments, and 
was immediately promoted by them to the rank of a 
brigadier of cavalry. Well inured to the operations 
of war (for he had served formerly in the French army), 
Bliss became from that time our most form id able opponent. 
He headed all the scouting parties that broke in upon 
our lines — he led the advance wherever our outposts 
were to be attacked, and he was particularly active in 
causing handbills and printed papers to be thrown about 
— of which it was the object to entice our men into 
the adoption of his example. Many a plan was laid 
for seizing him, but they all failed ; for he was an ad- 
mirable horseman — he was particularly well mounted, 
and always contrived to keep at such a distance from 
his old comrades that none ever succeeded in crossing 
swords with him. 

Such was the condition of the army in general, and 
of the Prince of Wales’s hussars in particular; when 
even my iron frame, which had hitherto withstood all 
imaginable attacks, yielded to the violence of the pre- 
vailing epidemic, and 1 become alarmingly ill. I was 
sent to the hospital at Cradobuckee, whence neither I 
nor any of my friends expected that I should be remov- 
ed alive; but my constitution was excellent, and being 
treated with the greatest care, I weathered the five days. 


THE HUSSAR. 


t 


45 


whic|i few before me had seen out, and began slowly 
to recover. It is but just to state that my recovery I 
owe, in a very great degree, to the kindness of a negro 
nurse, who watched over jne as tenderly as if I had 
been her own son; and was not tempted, even by the 
prospect of gain, to neglect me. For I had saved a 
pretty large sum of money, which I brought to the hos- 
pital in iny saddle-bags, and in the simplicity of my 
heart, showed to her, assuring her, at the same time, 
that if I died, all should be hers, whereas if I recovered, 
she should have only a part. Honour be to that noble- 
hearted negress whose right feeling the prospect of pos- 
sessing all my store never corrupted. She carried me 
about in her arms like an infant — she watched beside 
my bed day and night, and brought me through. I gave 
her twelve Spanish dollars, and she was most grateful. 

I pass by the occurrence of an earthquake while I 
lay in the hospital, for these things are common enough 
in the West Indies. Neither will I stop longer than to 
mention that the apartment in which I lay contained 
eighty beds, and that these were thrice filled and thrice 
emptied, the occupants going in succession to the grave 
during my sojourn. As to the hospital for invalids, it 
was managed on a different system, and gave to each 
of us allX^hat we could possibly need and almost 
all that we desired. At last, I rejoined my regi- 
ment, where my arrival was hailed as an event altoge- 
ther unexpected ; and my comrades were so happy to 
see me, that they made me ill again. But through that 
attack also I made my way ; and I never again com- 
mitted imprudences similar to those which brought it 
on. Moreover, I had not long been retimied to my 
duty, when our squadron received orders to reinforce a 
body of infantry, by whom a redoubt, somewhat in ad- 
vance of the position, was held. The enemy, it appear- 
ed, had given out that they would eat their new year’s 
dinner in that redoubt ; and the post being an important 
one, the Commander-in-Chief determined not to yield it 


46 


THE HUSSAR. 


without a struggle. As it happened, the French never 
made the attempt. But the officer commanding our 
garrison not wishing t • be idle, turned the tables, and, 
on his own responsibility, pushed forward one dark 
night, and took a whole body of French gentlemen pri- 
soners, while enjoying the festivities of a dance within 
their own lines. 

The time was now, however, at hand when the pro- 
phecy of Mr. Kiester, which, when first uttered, I had 
treated with such disrespect, was destined to receive its 
accomplishment. There was no hope of success for the 
English in St. Domingo ; in consequence of which our 
advanced line was abandoned, and w-e fell back to Port 
au Prince. A negotiation followed, of which the results 
were, that we agreed to evacuate the island — the French 
undertaking to return to us our prisoners, and to treat 
with kindness such, both inhabitants and soldiers, as 
judged it expedient to staybehind. It was now that 
Mr. Kiester, true to his original determination, hasten, 
ed down to see me. Again he offered me the hand of 
one of his daughters, with an assurance that, at his 
death, all the property should come to me ; but I de- 
clined it. Upon this he urged my acceptance of ten 
doubloons — entreated me, if I should change my mind 
in England, to return — laid in for me a sea-stock su- 
perior to that of any officer in the corps — and took of 
me an affectionate farewell, I acknowledge that my 
heart misgave me when his back was fairly turned ; and 
1 think now, that my continued refusal of his alliance 
and patronage argued more of obstinacy, on my part, 
than of prudence and good sense. 


THE HUSSAR. 


47 


CHAPTER V. 

1 REruRN TO ENOLANP, AND PASS FROM ONE CORPS TO 

ANOTHER. VISIT GUERNSEY, WEYMOUTH, AND OTHER 
PEACES. 

I HAVE as yet said nothing to illustrate cither the man- 
ners of the settlers in St. Domingo, or to convey to niy 
reader’s niind any idea of the influence which these 
exerted on the minds of our officers. Like almost all 
the planters from France or Spain with whom, in the 
course of a wandering life, it has been my fortune to 
come in contact, the while people of this island were 
singularly illiterate. I'hcir great passion seemed to be 
for gaming, a vice which they carried to such an excess, 
as to stake upon a card or the turn of a die, not only 
their ready money, but horses, carriages, slaves, nay, 
even their very lands. I have seen a French gentleman 
drive into Port au Prince on one evening, (with what 
was there accounted an elegant equipage,) in his car- 
riage, drawn by four miile^, and attended by a numer- 
ous cortege of servants — and return from it the next 
day on foot, after losing all, in addition to some thous- 
ands of dollars, at the faro table. It was scarcely to be 
expected that from the influence of this dangerous vice 
our officers should altogether protect themselves. Se- 
veral look to the gambling-house as they would to a 
mercantile occupation ; and one, in particular, under- 
went such curious reverses of fortune, that I may, per- 
haps, be permitted to allude to them. 

Captain Von Beckenhaupt, of our corps, was a very 
good officer, though somewhat violent in his temper, 
and very wilful. He was one of the first to visit the 
faro table at Port au Prince, and beginning at first with 
small stakes, he went on from day to day till he be- 
came as bold and dexterous a player as the beet of 


48 


THE HUSSAR. 


them. I remember his returning to his quarters in the 
advance on several occasions, loaded with money. So 
weighty, indeed, were the bags of dollars, that he was 
forced to hire persons to earry them ; and once he 
emptied them out on the floor of his apartment, being 
too much eluted even to count them. Next night he 
returned in equal triumph ; while on the third he 
brought with him, not money alone, but a carriage, 
mules, slaves, and various trinkets, all of which he had 
won from an unfortunate planter. So much good luck 
could i\ot fail, however, to render an ardent-minded 
man giddy. Captain Von Beckenhaupt grudged even 
the time that was required for the performance of his 
ordinary duty ; and being ordered to march with his 
troop to a distant station, he refused to obey. The con- 
sequence w'as, that, rather than be tried by a court-mar- 
tial, he sent in his resignation, which was accepted. 
But behold the result ! Having removed to Port au 
Prince, and resigned himself wholly to gaming as to a 
business, his luck changed, and his winnings went from 
him ; and so reduced was he when we marched in for 
the purpose of embarkation, that he was forced to solicit 
the charity of his former companions, in order to hinder 
him from starving. A subscription was raised for him 
in the corps, of which he received the amount. But how 
he used it, or what ultimately became of him, 1 do not 
know. 

At the period of which I have just spoken, as that of 
our return to the* capital of French St. Domingo, the 
Prince of Wales’s hussars were sadly reduced in point 
of numbers. When we landed at St. Nicholas de Mole 
we could muster very nearly eleven hundred men ; we 
were now about two hundred and twenty fit for duty, 
and about as many more in hospital. Of the latter, 
some, who considered themselves convalescent, followed 
us on board of ship, and not a few out of this number 
were committed, during our homeward passage, to the 
deep. But the circumstance which gave greatest an- 


THE HUSSAR. 


49 


noyance to the healthy members of the corps was the 
wretched condition of the vessel into which we were 
crowded. A drunken captain, an idiotic mate, with 
swarms of rats, rnusketoes, cockroaches, and other rep- 
tiles, tormented us from morning till night, and put us 
in continual fear of our lives ; so that at one time both 
officers and men had well nigh risen in mutiny, and re- 
fused to quit the island. But our scruples were finally 
overcome by the assurance that other vessels were just 
as miserably provided ; and we wore preparing to put 
to sea, when a cutter worked up, having Baron Horn- 
pesch himself on board. It was too late for him to ad- 
dress us now, though he did so with fears in his eyes. 
His expressions of esteem and commiseration produced 
upon us no effect, for he had deceived us once, and we 
believed him capable of deceiving us again; so he went 
aw^ay without receiving one mark of respect, and w^e 
never saw him afterwards. 

Our homeward passage was attended only by those 
accidents to which all who cross the Atlantic are liable; 
we iiad some heavy gales, which dismasted us, and for 
a considerable time we navigated the seas alone, under 
a couple of jury-masts. In the Channel a frigate hove 
in sight, to which we made sigrials of distress; and she, 
taking us in tow, carried us into Plymouth. There we 
remained for about a fortnight, while the ship was re- 
fitting, very much refreshed by the supplies which 
reached us from the shore, and permitted occtisionally 
to stretch our limbs by a walk in the town ; after which 
we again put to sea, and steered for Guernsey. We 
landed in that island, with our baggage and equipments, 
and spent a month in St. Hilier barracks, as happily as 
jieed be — for Guernsey was then full of life and gaiety. 
Crowds of privateers filled its harbours, the crews of 
which circulated prodigious sums of money among the 
natives ; while we, having large arrears of pay and other 
allowances to receive, felt ourselves quite in a condition 
to keep pace with them. On the whole, I hardly re- 
VoL. I. — E 


50 


THE HUSSAE. 


collect a month of more incessant festivity than that to 
which I now refer ; nor a more general lamentation 
when the order at length arrived to take shipping and 
pass over to the maiti land. 

From Guernsey we removed to Southampton, of 
rather to the village of Ealing, where to our grout sur- 
prise we found the skeletons of the two regiments of 
Old and New Rouen, cantoned in the same barracks. 
They, like our^elves, had served in the West Indies, 
and were so much reduced, that it was judged inexpe- 
dient at the Horse-guards to keep them up as separate 
corps. Accordingly we had not long occupied our new 
quarters, when it was announced to us on parade, tliat 
his Royal Highness, the commander-in-chief, would per- 
mit any man to volunteer into any of his Britannic ma- 
jesty’s regiments of horse or foot, and grant a bounty 
to all w^'o thus transferred their services. It may be 
necessary to observe, that among continental troops, no 
man who has begun in the cavalry, and above all in the 
Hussars, ever dreams of enrolling himself in a regi- 
ment of infantry. Such a step would be accounted a 
degradation, and as hussar regiments in general are 
dressed with very great magnificence, the individuals 
belonging to them acquire an esprit de corps, such as 
you will scarcely find in any other armed body. This 
feeling was particularly evinced at Southampton, when 
first a party from the twenty-fiflh English light dragoons, 
and afterwards a similar party from some toot regiment 
came among us. Our uniform was of the most splen- 
did description. We wore scarlet shakots, with white 
lace — blue jackets richly ornamented, white buckskin 
pantaloons, and three quarter boots, while our appoint- 
ments were a sabre and sabre-tash, the latter covered 
with scarlet, edged with white, and suspended by strings 
of such length as to keep it dangling to our heels 
Thus clothed, and accustomed to our sheep-skin sad- 
dles, we were, if the truth must be spoken, prodigious 
dandies ; and our appearance, for we were all well- 


THE HUSSAR. 


51 


grown men, would have done no discredit to the best 
household troops in Europe. 

When the proclamation was first read upon parade, 
there were many among us who experienced no disin- 
clination to act upon it ; but the arrival of the party 
from the twenty-fifth dragoons at once effaced the im. 
pression. These men were dressed in dirty grey jack- 
ets, leather helmet caps fearfully heel-balled, white lea- 
ther breeches, and shoes, and long black gaiters. They 
wore white feathers thrust into the sides of the helmets, 
and sabre-fashes tucked up so. as to descend no lower 
than the hips. On the whole we had never seen such 
spectacles; and hence, though the non-commissioned 
officers exerted themselves wifh laudable pertinacity in 
the cause, not one man could they get from us. The 
infantry were just as unsuccessful, and both retired. 
Then it was that after an interval of a few weeks, our 
major announced to us upon parade, that a fresh project 
had been entertained in reference to some of us. In 
Guernsey it appeared that the patrol duty had hitherto 
been performed by detachments fiom the yeomanry 
cavalry, a species of force, which being composed of the 
sons of gentlemen and farmers, did not always find it 
convenient to turn out. The designs of the supreme 
authorities now pointed to enrol one hundred men from 
our regiment, under the denomination of Guernsey 
Hussars, and to employ them permanently in guarding 
the island from invasion by the French, with which it 
was continually threatened. The major played his 
cards very skilfully, and won his game. One hundred 
of the best men volunteered, and having equipped us in 
splendid dresses, he put himself at our head, and we 
again passed over to our old quarters, as Guernsey 
Hussars. 

It is not worth while to describe the order of our du- 
ties here, -which consisted in furnishing piquets, and 
passing patrols nightly along the coast. We thought 
nothing of these things, and very little of our drilling 


52 


THE HUSSAR. 


and parades, but we found the major grow daily more 
and more strict ; for every petty irregularity which used 
in former days to be overlooked, was now rigidly pun- 
ished. Neither were our punishments of a trifling na- 
ture. It is true that we had no cat-o’-nine-tails, but the 
bastinado was at all times freely administered, and that, 
which constitutes the universal punishment in the ar- 
mies of Germany, is no trifle. The order of it is this. 

We have no such thing as a regimental court martial 
among us. Every officer, every sergeant, every corporal, 
can send a man, either to the guard-house or to the 
black-hole, according to the nature of his offence, care 
being taken that the causes of his confinement are stated 
in the grand report, which is sent in to the command- 
ing officer next morning at relieving time. Besides 
this, a subaltern may, of his own authority, order a man 
to receive five-and-twenty lashes, a captain may give 
fifty, and a commandant as many as a hundred ; which 
are thus inflicted. The culprit is laid across a tru.ss of 
straw, either stripped to his drawers or not, according 
to the crime of which he has been guilty, and a cor- 
poral stands over him, having in his hand a hazel stick, 
of a circumference just sufficient to pass freely into a 
carbine, but no more. With this, on a signal given, he 
gives two flourishes in the air, and at the third, comes 
with all his strength across the prisoner’s body : taking 
care to drive the point of his slick into the flesh, and to 
produce a wound which is sometimes terrible to look 
upon. Talk of flogging ! I tell you the bastinado is a 
thousand times more severe ; in fact, I do not believe 
that any man could take a hundred blows well laid on 
and live. Still such is the effect of custom, that among 
us the punishment is little regarded. We will avoid it 
if we can ; for we all dread it very much ; but no man 
fancies that he is disgraced by it, provided he do not 
suffer for a crime which is in itself disgraceful. And 
let me add, we have no teasing punishments ; such as 
drill, confinement to barracks, and other things which, 


THE HUSSAR. 


53 


without preventing crime, only irritate the criminal. 
Ours is summary justice, which we all know, and hold 
in respect. 

Well, the bastinado went with aw'ful rapidity in 
Guernsey, and what is more, when the bounty came to 
be distributed, w'e found, that instead of four pounds 
each man, the sum originally promised, we received but 
a dollar, with which to drink the king’s health. This 
was a grievous disappointment to us ; but as we were 
all flush of cash, we could have easily got the better of 
it, but for the tyranny to w'hich we were subjugated. 
Now we had not reckoned upon this, and having been 
heretofore little accustomed to it, a spirit of insubordina- 
tion, bordering upon inutiny, was stirred up among us. 
At last the matter was brought to a point. We had 
lived for a while in the same barracks W’ith the Sixty- 
first infantry, and had witnessed, with horror, the fre- 
quent application of the cat : but never dreamed that to 
us, brought up under a different system, that species of 
punishment would be applied. Our major, in an evil 
hour, determined to show us, that we’were, not less than 
the Sixty-first, subject to the English military code. 
One of our men, having committed some depredation, 
was brought to a general court-martial, and sentenced 
to receive five hundred lashes; the whole of which were 
inflicted in our presence, at a stable-dress parade, within 
the barrack square of the Sixty-first, which stood all the 
while under arms to watch the event. 

We returned home from witnessing this spectacle in 
a state almost of desperation ; and three or four laying 
their heads together, resolved to d|;liver their comrades, 
if it should be possible, from their thraldom. For this 
purpose we sought out an attorney in the town, and 
caused him to write in our names a letter to his Royal 
Highness the Duke of York, in which all our griev- 
ances w'ere set forth. Among other things, we in- 
formed the Duke of the amount of bounty which we 
had received, and implored him to receive us as volun- 
E 2 


64 


THE HUSSAR. 


teers into the York Hussars, a foreign regiment, which, 
being then in process of enrolment, took from the Com- 
mander-in-chief its distinctive appellation, inasmuch as 
his Royal Higluiess had been appointed to the com- 
mand of it. The letter was despatched the same eve- 
ning, and we returned home well pleased with the step 
that had been taken ; though, when day afier day, and 
week after week, passed by, without any reply being 
vouchsafed, apprehensions began by degrees to be en- 
tertained that we had been unfairly dealt with. At 
length, however, we received satisfactory proofs, that 
our memorial had reached its destination. The Major 
summoned us to parade one day, and appeared before 
us with a face flushed w ith anger. He declared that 
he would know the name of the rascal who had dared 
to memorialize the Commander-in-chief, and conducted 
himself throughout more like a madman than an officer 
of rank and some reputation. At last he wound up 
by exclaiming, “You have applied to be received into 
the York Hussars; your petition is granted, and to the 
York Hussars you go; but mark my words: it is the 
worst day’s work ever you did in your lives. For I 
go with you, and by my soul you will live to repent 
the day that you ever withdrew yourselves from under 
my command.” To all this we listened with perfect 
unconcern, which was converted into mirth when we 
found, that one of the first effects of our petition was 
to wring from the worthy Major the residue of our 
bounty. Yet such is the fact ; for previous to our em- 
barkation, each man received, either in money or cloth- 
ing, not less than three pounds fifteen shillings, which 
though described to us as an additional gratuity from 
llie Crown, we accepted as nothing more than what 
was strictly our due from the outset. 

Before I quit the subject of Guernsey, it may 
be as well to state, that while we did duty there a 
Russian fleet, having on board the residue of the army 
which had served under the Duke of York at the Hel- 


THE HUSSAR. 


55 


der, put in. As the ships were in want of stores, and 
their fresh provisions exhausted, the delay of the squad- 
ron was of necessity considerable ; and the troops be- 
ing- disembarUed, were placed, some in barracks, others 
in private lodgings among the inhabitants. We saw a 
good deal of their officers, who appeared to me to be a 
quick, intelligent, and brave set of men ; though their 
sense of honour was not in all cases very acute, as the 
following anecdote will prove. In the town of St. 
Helier was one Mr. Mollet, the keeper of a tavern, and 
a man of some substance, whose only daughter, Eliza- 
beth, was perhaps the prettiest girl that in any coun- 
try, or at any period, I have seen. So attractive, in- 
deed, w'ere both her appearance and manner, that she 
drew a prodigious custom to her father’s house, while 
her principles were so correct that she resisted at the 
outset every reproach to a degree of familiarity that 
was not compatible with' the strictest virtue. Such a 
creature could not fail to receive numerous offers of 
marriage; yet these, too, she invariably declined, till a 
Russian captain of infantry paid his addresses to her. 

My reader is not perhaps aw'are that there is a regu- 
lation in the Russian army, whieh prohibits any woman 
whether married or not, from accompanying a body of 
troops upon foreign or active service. So rigid, indeed, 
are the Muscovites on this head, that at the period of 
which I am speaking, the wile of a field officer having 
been detected in her husband’s quarters disguised as a 
page — she was sent home with ignominy, and he re- 
duced to the ranks. It was of course impossible for 
Elizabeth’s suitor to hide that fact from his mistress, 
because the occurrence took place in St. Helier, and the 
whole island rang with it. But being master of her 
affections, he persuaded her to believe, that provided 
they could contrive to get her removed from Guernsey 
in one of her father’s schooners, it would be easy enough 
w’hen at sea, to pick her up, and hide her in the Rus- 
sian transport. Accordingly, the poor girl consented 


56 


THE HUSSAR. 


to fix the day for the wedding, which was celebrated 
with all solemnity according to the rites of the estab- 
lished church, and toasted by myself and a crowd of 
her friends besides, with great zeal after supper. 

About a week had passed in marriage festivities 
when the Russians were ordered to embark ; and the 
bride was reduced to the necessity of making her own 
.arrangements for the purpose of not being separated 
from her husband. At his suggestion she sent all her 
property, amounting to some hundred pounds, all her 
clothes, trinkets, and valuables of every description, to 
his ship ; while she herself, with a stock of apparel 
barely sufficient for a few da_y’s’ wearing, took her berth’ 
in a schooner which her father manned, and made ready 
to follow the squadron. On the appointed day the 
whole put to sea, the schooner keepitjg as near as pos- 
sible to the husband’s vessel, and steering for the coast 
of England. Elizabeth naturally expected that then, 
during the bustle of a general rendezvous, she would 
be enabled to join her lover. But she was cruelly de- 
ceived. The scoundrel never meant that she should 
join him. He had obtained all that he coveted of her 
little dower, and now made no effort whatever, during 
three days and nights, so much as to communicate with 
the schooner, though all the while within hail. I need 
scarcely go on with my tale. The Russian admiral 
perceiving the schooner at last, ordered its crew to sheer 
off or he would sink them ; and poor Elizabeth returned 
to Guernsey a widowed wife, forlorn, and well nigh 
broken-hearted. Many years elapsed ere I heard of 
her again, though I never failed, as often as an opportu- 
nity offered, of inquiring into her fate; and then the 
bitterness of grief was past. She had given hirth to a 
son, of whom the Russian captain was the father; and 
long devoted herself to the child’s education. But the 
entreaties of her parents, and the devotion of another 
lover, overcame her sadness at last ; she married a sec- 
ond time more prudently, and succeeding to the busi- 


THE HUSSAR. 


57 


ness at her father’s decease, carried it on at once re- 
spectably and profitably. 

1 The York Hussars, composed of recruits collected 
from prison-ships, and the wrecks of almost all the 
foreign regiments in the English service, lay, at the 
period of the breaking up of the Guernsey squadron, in 
Weymouth, whither, as soon as siiips were provided 
for our accommodation, we proceeded to join them. 
They were in a miserable plight; half naked, without 
arms, without horses, and totally ignorant of their 
duty ; — such scarecrows, in short, that the colonel, M. 
Jassar, a fine Swiss soldier, would not permit them 
to go beyond the barrack-gates, or show themselves in 
the town. It was different with us, who came fully 
equipped, and to whom all the indulgences to which 
soldiers are accustomed, were freely granted. Neither 
were these denied to our comrades so soon as they came 
into such a state as to bring no discredit on the regi- 
mentto which they belonged; for Colonel Jassar was a 
a man who loved to govern with mildness, and whom 
his men obeyed as much from affection as from fear. 
Unfortunately for us, however, Colonel Jassar had made 
up his mind to retire, and he was succeeded by an En- 
glishman, Colonel Robert Long, who lost no time in 
setting aside all our old usages, and introducing En- 
glish drill, English habits, English distinctions, and En- 
glish punishments. Now I do not mean to speak against 
Colonel Long : he was an excellent officer in the field ; 
but to us, who knew our duty thoroughly, as such duty 
is practised on the Continent, his proceedings were 
vexatious in the extjeme. For example, our horses 
W'ere always in the best condition, yet our custom was 
simply this : that every man ran to the stables when the 
trumpet sounded, and fed or cleaned his charger. From 
the first day after his arrival, we were paraded by 
troops for this purpose, and made to fall in, with sponges 
suspended from our buttons, currycombs in our hands, 
and brushes so disposed that the orderly-officer might 


58 


THE HUSSAR. 


see tl^jem. Then, after standings for inspection in open 
ranks, we were wheeled to the right, and marched, 
squad by squad, to our stables. Moreover, there were 
foot and horse parades, carbine drill, sword drill, and 
pistol drill ; in a word, one continued series of drills and 
parades from break of day, till it was time to lie down 
again. All this harassed us exceedingly; and it became 
the more distressing, that our new Colonel not only in- 
troduced the cat-o’-nine tails, but made exceedingly free 
with it. Our men began to desert, and the more they 
deserted, the faster flew the lash, till there were com. 
paratively few among the privates to whom it had not 
been applied. But this state of things could not go 
on. 

We had often talked among ourselves of the neces- 
sity of doing something to put an end to this horrid 
system ; yet we knew not how to proceed, till four men 
more resolute than the rest made up their minds to risk 
their own lives for the benefit of their comrades. These 
went to the Colonel’s quarters one morning, demanded, 
and obtained admission, and closing the door, told him 
their minds in language of which it was impossible to 
mistake the meaning. Little Bobby, as we called him, 
was not the sort of man to be bullied, so he resolutely 
refused all their demands ; and raising the window, 
called in some of tlie guard, who carried the four dele- 
gates as prisoners to the black hole. They were brought 
to trial, found guilty of insubordination, and condemned 
to receive each, eight hundred lashes; and the punish- 
ment was inflicted witli as much severity as ever I be- 
held on like occasions. Nor was this all. As soon as 
they were taken down, they were marched to the bar- 
rack-gate, the trumpeters playing the rogue’s march be- 
hind them, and then having had their buttons cut off, 
and their facings taken away, they were told to shift 
for themselves, as being no longer worthy to serve in 
the corps. Yet either their remonstrance, or some 
compunctious feelings of his own, had wrought upon 
the Colonel’s mind. The cat-o’-nine tails fell into dis- 


THE HUSSAR. 


59 


Use, the men were kindly treated, and the duty was 
done, not only with as much, but with greater alacrity 
and good will than had been displayed since Colonel 
Jassar left us, 

Beibre I quit this subject, it may not be amiss to 
state a circumstance which many years after the occur- 
rence just described, befell me. I had occasion once to 
visit Chichester barracks, where the Queen’s Bays or 
Dragoons lay in quarters, and entered the square at a 
moment when the serjeanf-major was busily engaged 
drilling some recruits. The man’s air and appearance 
struck me as being those of some one with whom I had 
formerly been acquainted, and approaching to examine 
him more closely, wc recognized each other almost at 
the same instant. He was the ringleader of the muti- 
neers who had entered Colonel Long’s apartment, and 
to whose terrible punish tnent I had myself been a wit- 
ness ; and he hastened to assure me^ by a cordial grasp 
of the hand, that our old acquaintance was not forgotten. 
I accompanied him home, and heard that he had under- 
gone some strange vicissitudes of fortune. Being dis- 
missed from the halberds, and ashamed to seek shelter 
in town, he had wandered some way into the country 
till he came to a cottage, the inmates of which took 
compassion on him, and dressed his back, and gave 
him food and lodging. He then wandered about till 
the marks were somewhat effaced, finding labour here 
and there, and subsisting on alms, where such was not 
to be had, till at last he fell in with a recruiting party 
from the Bays, and offered his services. He was ac- 
cepted, and by steady good conduct, and great intelli- 
gence, forced himself on ; till he obtained the rank of 
which I found him in tposse.ssion. 

He of course entreated me to keep his past history a 
secret, which I promised to do; and we lived together 
for some days very happily, I being his guest, and he 
my kind and hospitable entertainer. 

I had well nigh forgotten to mention, that one of the 
first men who met me on my arrival at Weymouth 


THE HUSSAK. 


60 


from Guernsey, was the identical Serjeant Bliss, of 
whom I have already spoken, as deserting from us to 
the French, when in position in front of Port-au-Prince 
at St. Domingo. He liad grown weary, it appeared, of 
his new friends, and ascertaining that the Prince of 
Wales’s Hussars were gone, he came over again to the 
English, where he obtained a free pardem from the Ge- 
neral. Upon this he joined the York Hussars, and re- 
turned with the remains of tlie regiment to Europe. 
Bliss never ceased to brood over the severities of which 
Colonel Long had been guilty, nor tn complain of them 
even when they had passed away ; and now he pre- 
vailed upon five of his comrades to join him in an at- 
tempt to escape across the Cliannel, into France. With 
this view they laid in a small stock of biscuit and water, 
after which they seized, one dark night, a boat in the 
harbour, and passing both guard-ship and revenue-cut- 
ters, gained the open sea, without either compass or 
rudder, or anything except oars and sails to guide them. 
By us, of course, the direction which they had taken 
was unknown, and we had ceased in some degree to 
speculate about them, when, about a fortnight after- 
wards, i".telhgence"was received from Jersey that they 
had been picked up by a King’s cruiser in great dis- 
tress, and carried into that island. To forward them to 
Weymouth was the peremptory duty of the authorities 
there; to bring them before a general court-martial w'as 
the duty of Colonel Long : and the result of the trial 
was that Bliss and another were sentenced to be shot, 
the remainder to be flogged and sent to a condemned 
corps. Having elsewhere described a military execu- 
tion, I will not again enter into the particulars of this, 
further than by stating, that all the regiments in the 
district assembled to witness it, and that the men died 
without a struggle. In a military point of view, they 
unquestionably deserved their fate, though probably no 
man has ever yet seen a fellow-creature put to death 
without experiencing a wish that his life had been 
spared. 


THE HUSSAR. 


61 


CHAPTER VI. 

1 BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH KING GT ORGE THE THIRD 
AND SOME OF HIS PRACTICES — GO TO THE ISLE OF WIGHT 
AND AM DISBANDED. 

It was now the summer of 1801, and a report be- 
gan to circulate among us, that his Majesty King 
George the Third, with the Queen and the Royal 
family, intended to visit Weymouth, and to view the 
troops that were assembled in the vicinity. I'lie re- 
port obtained the more ready credit in consequence of 
an order which went forth, to form an encampment on 
the liigh grounds that overlook tlie town : and splendid 
indeed was tlie spectacle, when along these ridges tents 
were pitched, for 1 know nbt how many regiments of 
cavalry and infantry, as well as for a considerable de- 
tachment of artillery. It is needless to state how, day 
by day, public curiosity was kept on the stretch, or how 
joyous was the news when every bell in the place gave 
notice that the King had at length arrived. Im- 
mediately a strong piquet, consisting of detachments 
from all arms, was ordered to mount every day in front 
of the Royal Hotel ; so that each of us in his turn, had 
the honour to be inspected by Royalty, the King him- 
self making it a point to be present at the accustomed 
hour, in order that lie might receive the salute. 

His Majesty’s common custom was to ride along 
the front of the troops, and to inspect them cursorily, 
as Kings are wont to do, without making any remark. 
It happened, however, that on one occasion, he deviated 
from this practice, and the fbllowing scene occurred. A 
portion of our corps, forming the cavalry piquet, held 
the right of the line, which rendered it necessary for his 
Majesty to begin his inspection with us. The appear- 
ance first of one man and then of another, struck him, 
VoL. 1 .— F 


62 


THE HUSSAR. 


and he stopped to ask questions. “What countryman 
are you ?” “ A Saxon.” — “ Oh ! a Saxon, a Saxon,” 
replied the King — “ a fine nation, a fine nation — very 
good soldiers, very good soldiers.” He then passed on 
to another. “ What countryman are you ?” “A Swede.” 
— “ Good, good — ‘excellent men the Swedes — very good 
men tlie Swedes.” A third arrested him, and the same 
question was repeated ; the answer was, “ A Hanover- 
ian” “Oh ! my own country, my own country — all good 
men the Hanoverians, all good men, all good men.” 
Now came a fourth, and he was, in truth, as noble a 
looking fellow as ever mounted a horse. He was very 
tall, beautifully formed, with a dark oval complexion, 
piercing black eyes, hair hke the raven’s wing, and an 
enormous pair of mustaches. The King gazed at him 
for some time, and then demanded “ What countryman 
are you ? ” “A Hungarian,” replied “ Forksh,” whose 
name being rendered ipt8 English signifies a wolf. 
“ All excellent soldiers the Hungarians,” cried the King, 
“ all excellent soldiers ;” and then, as if attracted by the 
peculiar curl of the man’s mustaches, he put forth his 
hand and began gently to twist one ofthem. It is im- 
possible to say what motive could have actuated Forksh, 
for he never gave a satisfactory account of it; but the 
King had hardly seized his mustache, when he made a 
sort of snap like a dog, at the royal hand, which was 
instantly withdrawn. In my life I never witnessed 
such a scene. The whole parade was convulsed with 
laughter, in which, after his first surprise, nobody joined 
more heartily than George III. As to the Prince of 
Wales, who rode next to his father, I thought he would 
have fallen from his horse. But he did not forget, as 
he passed by, to slip a guinea into the man’s hand, who 
never permitted a muscle of his face to relax, nor sway- 
ed even for an instant, from his upright and soldier- 
like attitude. 

I do not know whether this incident, in itself trifling, 
was or was not the cause, but we became from that day 


THE HUSSAR. 


63 


mighty favourites with the King ; and he took, as he was 
apt to do, a singular mode ot showing it . ' One fine 
summer’s morning, about seven o’clock, when we were 
all busy in stables, there arose a cry in our camp that 
the King was approaching. The officers ran out, and 
looking with their telescopes through the streets of the 
tents, they saw, sure enough, the King, the Queen, the 
Duke of Clarence, our present gracious Majesty, and a 
large suite walking towards the lines, 7’he trumpets, 
of course, sounded, and we ran in our stable-dresses to 
the parade, but his Majesty would not look at us. He 
had no intention to trouble us, he was only abroad for a 
little morning’s exercise ; still, as the sky had become 
overcast, and a storm of thunder and rain threatened, he 
w'ould take shelter in the officers’ mess-house. Thither, 
the wffiole retinue accordingly repaired, and no great 
while elapsed, ere our good King began to evince both 
his curiosity and kindly deposition. He desired the 
Colonel to bring in all the Hungarians belonging to his 
regiment, and as the band was playing in an adjoining 
room, he requested that it might be silenced. This 
done, he desired the men to sing a Hungarian song. 
They sang, and were next requested to dance a Hunga- 
rian dance — of course that wish was in like measure 
gratified, for the band instantly struck up, and the men 
did their best to set themselves off' to advantage, and to 
please the King. A similar process was gone through 
with the Poles, the Germans, and others, till almost all 
the varieties of continental singing and dancing had 
been exhibited. The King was much delighted, and 
the storm being abated, he made a movement to go, but 
Queen Charlotte interposed — “ Your Majesty has had 
your pleasure, now' I must have mine,” and forthwith 
all the women and children belonging to the regiment 
were sent for. Great was the washing ofhaiidsand 
faces, prodigious the adjusting of bibs and tuckers, and 
forward they at length came, not all of them in court 
dresses, but generally speaking, clean and tidy. Her 


64 


THE HUSSAR. 


Majesty had a kind word to say to each, and desired 
that each should have a guinea. But when, at last, she 
came to one — the native of her own country — she drew 
forth her purse and gave her five guineas. Finally, the 
King ordered a hogshead of beer and an ample supply 
of pipes and tobacco for every troop, and departed. Yet, 
for this act of kindness, both King and Queen were 
abused in the prints of the day, as if their affections had 
pointed only to foreigners, and the English regiments 
were neglected. 

Thus passed the summer, at the close of which the 
Royal party returned to London, and our camp being 
broken up, the several regiments returned to the bar- 
racks or quarters which they had previously occupied. 
The winter, too, went by, without bringing any event 
to pass in the relation of which it is necessary to waste 
time ; and with me spring of 1802 came a report that 
the war was at an end. Day by day and week by week 
the statement was repeated, till it produced, at last, an 
expectation in our regiment, that the hour of disband- 
ment could not be very distant. We were not deceived 
in this surmise. First, a rigid examination of our 
horses took place, and two-thirds being cast, we got no 
remount. By and by the remaining third was taken 
from us — then we were ordered on a certain day to 
carry our arms and appointments into store, and last 
of all, to embark on board of transports for the Isle of 
Wight. To the Isle of Wight we accordingly sailed, 
where though we still held together and wore our Hussar 
uniform, the regiment was, to all intents and purposes, 
disbanded. 

It had been announced to us on one of the parades, 
which from time to time took place, that such of us as 
chose to enlist in an English regiment should receive a 
fresh bounty — and that transports were provided for 
the purpose of conveying to Germany all those who pre- 
ferred returning home. For my part I was yet hesitat- 
ing how to act, when Captain Quentin visited our bar- 


THE HUSSAR. 


65 

rack-yard, and informed Colonel Long of his desire to 
procure from us a certain number of non-commissioned 
officers , and privates for the Tenth, or Prince of Wales’s 
Hussars. Colonel Long did me the honour to recom- 
mend me to Captain Quentin as his recruiting-serjeant, 
and the Captain, after objecting a little to my height (for 
I measured only five feet seven inches)* offered me the 
situation. I expressed myself willing to accept it, pro- 
vided my rank as serjeant were permanently secured to 
me, and I was permitted to offer to my comrades a fair 
bounty ; and though Captain Quentin could not say 
positively to what the latter would amount, he assured 
me that it should not fall short of four guineas. Still, 
1 was to practise the most rigid economy in dealing with 
the volunteers. A few shillings in advance he would not 
object to, but beyond this he judged it altogether inex- 
pedient to proceed. Thus instructed, I applied myself 
to my new task, and succeeded the same night in get- 
ting two excellent men — such men as answered in every 
respect the pattern which had been set for me. They 
were both good soldiers — they measured five feet nine 
inches — and they were under twenty-six years of age. 

, I was well pleased with my evening’s work, and made 
no doubt of gaining, with proper management, the whole 
amount which it was his wish that I should provide. 

Captain Quentin did tiot remain in the island to watch 
our proceeding. He departed the day after my engage- 
ment, leaving me instructions, not indeed to get the men 
attested, but to keep them in good humour till he should 
return and approve of them. Now, there is no keeping 
a recruit in good humour v/ithout a certain expenditure 
of money, and as my purse happened at the time to be 
particularly well filled, 1 made no hesitation in advancing 
from its contents the necessary supplies. By these 
means my recruits grew continually more numerous, 
till at last I could muster twelve — with whom an agree- 
ment was actually made, — besides many others who 
waited only for an invitation to join their comrades. 
F2 


66 


THE HUSSAR. 


When things were in this state I did not hesitate to give 
each man w’hat I thought a fair allowance, in his pecu- 
liar circumstance':. I’he shilling they took, of course, 
from the King, and I added to it over and above a pound 
note — so as to put a guinea into every man’s pocket. 

There was, of course, no end to the mirth and danc- 
ing o^ those three days. Our rendezvous was at the 
Star Inn, East Cowes, where fiddles were kept going 
all night long, and our cash being abundant, we receiv- 
ed from the landlord and his family the most liberal 
treatment. But soldiers, when bent upon frolic, scarce- 
ly know where to draw the line, or to stop short. We 
determined to have a regular spree one day, and the 
following were the arrangements which we made, in 
order to fill up the measure of our happiness. 

We hired fourteen hacks — some with three legs, some 
with four — accoutred with or without saddles, just as the 
case might be ; and ordering them, as well as a gig, to 
be in readiness by nine in the morning, at about half- 
past nine we were all mounted. On me, as master of 
the ceremonies, devolved the care of arranging the 
cavalcade, and I paraded it thus. In front of all rode ’ 
two trumpeters — exellent musicians in their way ; behind 
them, with an interval of perhaps twenty yards, rode 
six of my recruits ; then came the gig at a like interval 
fir(»m the advanced gaurd, in which I, with a young 
woman, took our stations ; while, last of all, about twenty 
yards o(F, marched the rear guard, consisting of the other 
six men mounted. At a given signal the trumpets 
sounded, and we rode through the streets of Cowes— 
men and women turning out to cheer us, and crowds of 
children following — and then away towards Newport, 
making frequent halts, as may be imagined, at such 
public-houses as met us along the road. We had deter- 
mined to dine at Newport, and we did so, very much, to 
the astonishment of the inhabitants, who were quite at 
a loss what to make of men, dressed as we still were, 
like cavalry soldiers, yet destitute of arms, and mount- 


THE HUSSAR. 


67 


ed on such wretched cattle. I need scarcely add that 
the consumption of wine and punch at that dinner was 
immense. Nevertheless, we had all our wits about us, 
when after drinking our last bottle at the inn door, we 
resumed our order of march, and departed amid the 
braying of our own trumpets, the laughter of the crowd, 
and the incessant shouts and cries of the children. 

We were not drunk, though all had taken as much as 
they could carry, consequently my advanced guard kept 
order tolerably well till we had cleared the town, when, 
retiollecting that 1 had appointed another rendezvous at 
the White Hart, about a couple of miles from Cowes, 
they set off at a brisk pace, and left me and my rear 
guard behind. On we went, however, at our owm jog 
trot, and were passing the infantry barracks on the com- 
mon, when a foot soldier, excessively intoxicated, came 
staggering across the road, and ere I could provide 
against the accident, ran right between my horse’s feet. 
The man fell and cut his cheek and nose on the gravel, 
both of which bled profusely ; but by a sudden wrench 
1 threw my horse back so completely on his haunches, 
that not a hoof touched him. Still he was so drunk, or 
so sulky, that he could n(5t or would not rise, and while 
I was yet consulting with my comrades, who had closed 
up, as to the best course to be pursued, a party from 
the barrack guard came out and made me prisoner. Now 
then, thought I, here is a nice conclusion to my frolic 
— I am in a scrape at last, ifl never got into one before ; 
yet I collected my thoughts, became as sober as a judge, 
and told the truth, both to the adjutant and the surgeon, 
who ran out among others to ascertain what was the 
matter. For the cry was that I had driven over the 
man ; and as he was carried in by his comrades, a feel 
ing became prevalent among them that his legs were 
broken. He was conveyed to the guard bed, his face 
washed, and his body examined, a proceeding of which 
the result was to satisfy those present that he had sus. 
tained no serious injury ; and the adjutant had already 


68 


THE HUSSAR. 


told me to go in peace’ for that no blame attached to me, 
when a scheme came into my head which was imme- 
diately executed, “ Get up, my man,” said I to the 
drunken soldier, “ you are not hurt. Get up and jump 
over the bench, and I’ll give you five shillings’” “Will 
you,” cried the rascal — looking me full in the face — 
“then it’s done,” and sure enough it was. He sprang 
to his feet, cleared the bench, and demanded the sum ; 
but I told him he should have it the next time we met, 
and drove off amid shouts of laughter from the by- 
standers. 

Misfortunes, they say, never come single, and I was 
doomed this day to experience the truth of the proverb. 
We found our advance waiting for us at the White Hart, 
to whom we told our story, and in the delight of onr 
hearts we indulged somewhat more than might be pru- 
dent, of which the consequence was, that when driving 
into Cowes, the wheel of my gig took a large stone and 
over went the vehicle, tossing my fair companion into 
the kennel and throwing me above her. Shaft, wheel, 
and trace, all gave way, and the wreck of the landlord’s 
carriage was carried upon men’s shoulders into his sta- 
ble-yard. 

We had spent some weeks thus, when Captain Quen- 
tin, true to his promise, returned to Cowes, bringing 
with him the serjeant-major of his regiment, a Belgian, 
by name Du Pre, and as thorough a coxcomb as I have 
ever chanced to see in his station. Covered with silver 
lace and gorgeously appareled, he w’ould scarcely stoop 
to notice so humble a personage as myself, and as to 
the recruits, with them he would hold no intercourse, 
\ further than was requisite in parading them for inspec- 
tion. It struck me, likewise, that the Captain’s man- 
ner was altered for the worse. He was captious and 
inquisitive, asking as many questions about the men’s 
history and past conduct, as if he had suspected me of 
a wish to deceive him. But that which astonished me 
most of all, was the manner in which both he and his 


THE HUSSAR. 


69 


serjeant-tnajor received the statement of the money 
which I had advanced out of my own pocket. The 
latter pronounced me decidedly wrong — the former 
swore that I might seek repayment where I could, but 
that from him I should never receive it. I was nettled, 
and reminded him in few words, that neither I nor my 
comrades were as yet attested, and that I had only to 
tell them of the treatment which I had received at his 
hands, and to a man they would withdraw from their 
engagement. Upon this the Captain lowered his tone, 
observing that he never meant to keep me out of my 
money — that I had done wrong in having so far exceed- 
ed the license which he had granted me, but that if I 
would call at his quarters that evening, he would settle 
with me. I did not call that evening, for I devoted it 
to reflection, which ended in a persuasion that it would 
not be f jr my advantage to join tlie Tenth, and that the 
sooner I withdrew myself from the Isle of Wight the 
better. Accordingly, having ascertained that a vessel 
would sail next day for Weymouth, I engaged a pas- 
sage in her, after which I merely visited my recruits, 
and went quietly to bed. Next morning aboirt nine 
o’clock 1 waited on Captain Quentin, who handed me 
my twelve pounds without scruple, and then he told me, 
his scrjeant-major beirrg present, tliatl would not suit 
him, and that he should thenceforth dispense with my 
services. 

“ I am very glad to hear it. Captain Quentin,” said I, 
“ for to be plain with you, it was my intention to take 
the very step in which you have anticipated me. Nei- 
ther you nor your sergeant-major will do for me, so I 
wish you good morning.” 

I wetit straight to the Star, ordered the porter to. con- 
vey my trunk on board of ship, informed my late com- 
rades how the case stood between me and the Captain, 
and bade them farewell. They accompanied me to the 
sea-side very much cast down at the separation, and I 
luive never seen any of them since. 


70 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER VII. 

1 GO TO lO'IDON, ENLIST IN THE 20tH LIGHT DRAGOONS, 
AND SERVE WITH IT AT HOME AND ABROAD. 

I HAD been, while serving in the York Hussars, on in- 
timate terms with the niaster of our band — a German 
like myself — who, when the corps was disbanded, went 
straight from Cowes to London, and soon got a place in 
the band of the Coldstream Foot-guards. Though I 
brought with me to Weymouth a considerable stock of 
ready money, I was yet anxious about the future ; so I 
wrote to this man and requested that he would look 
about for some cavalry regiment into which I might be 
likely to be received as a serjeant. The return of post 
brought my friend’s answer, expressing a wish that I 
would come up to London without delay, and stating 
that as the town was full of recruiting parties which all 
paraded once a day in rear of the Horse Guards, it was 
next to impossible that I could fail with one or another 
to gain my object The advice appeared judicious, so I 
mounted the top of the coach, and in due time was 
transported into this mighty capital, of which I then 
knew nothing, but with which I have since become fa- 
miliar. I took a lodging for myself in one of the streets 
that lead off from the Strand, and being ignorant of my 
friend’s address, repaired next day to the parade ground 
in St. James’s Park. He was there, as I expected to 
find him, and the meeting between us was on both sides 
very affectionate. Moreover, I learned from him that 
the 20th Light Dragoons was just returned from Ja- 
maica a perfect skeleton and in indifferent order, and 
both he and I concluded that its Colonel would not be 
averse to fake advantage of my experience in drilling 
his recruits, and fitting them for active service. 

With this idea in my mind, I presented myself to the 


n THE HUSSAR. 


71 


recruiting-serjeant, one of your thorough-paced, rum- 
drinking, yellow-visaged West Indians, and stated my 
case. His answer was, “ We don’t enlist serjeants ; 
however, you may be an exception to the general rule, 
so we had better go and see the officer.” We went ac- 
cordingly, and Captain Hunt (for such was the officer’s 
name), after putting a few questions to me, expressed 
himself anxious to treat with Vne on my own terms : 
with which, however, he could not undertake to com- 
ply, till he should have obtained the Colonel’s sanction. 
He therefore proposed that I should accompany him to 
Lord Heath field’s house, and I went. For a few 
minutes Captain Hunt was closeted with his lordship, 
during which interval, Serjeant Goodall and 1 remained 
in the hall : but by and by I was called in, arid some 
such scene as the following occurred : 

“ Ha !” said his lordship, “you wish to join my regi- 
ment, and to retain youf rank of serjeant.” 

“ Ye.s, my lord.” ' 

“ Do you understand English ?” 

“ Pretty well, my lord.” 

“ Can you give the word of command in English ?” 

“ Yes, my lord.” 

“Well then, let us see. Now, speak out; don’t spare 
your lungs, but imagine that you are standing in the 
centre of Guilford barracks, and the wind blowing great 
guns. Say as I say, ‘ Right face !’” 

His lordship spoke audibly enough I must allow, but 
I was determined to beat him. 

“ Right face !” hallooed I, as loud as I could bawl. 

“ That’s, good, that will do. Now try again. ‘ Halt, 
left wheel !’ ” 

“ Halt, left wheel 1” shouted I, with a voice that 
made the window rattle in its frame. 

“ Hunt, this man will do,” said his lordship, turning 
to the Captain: “he’s just the man for us, and you 
shall have him in your own troop. But look ye, friend,” 
addressing himself to me, “ we don’t take recruits as 


72 


THE HUSSAR. 


serjeants : you must go to-day and be attached as a pri- 
vate ; to-morrow, I will make you a corporal ; and the 
next day, you shall become a serjeant. That’s the way 
we do business here !” 

Lord Heatlifield was as good as his word. I was but 
a day and a half a private, ere I became a serjeant in 
the 20th Light Dragoons. 

For about nine months after this I remained in Lon- 
don, recruiting, with some little success, as far as the 
regiment was concerned, but at a prodigious cost to my 
own finances. I came to the metropolis with seventy- 
five pounds in my purse ; and my new comrades no 
sooner ascertained the fact than they made a dead set 
at it. 1 had this party to treat, and that party to treat ; 
not once in a way, but continually, till my money melt- 
ed away, and my indignation became roused at the 
gross deceits that were practised upon me. At length, 
when my stock was reduced to about fifteen pounds, 1 
told the Captain that I was weary of recruiting, and 
that I wished to join the regiment. Now it so happened, 
that this was precisely the step which he was anxious 
that I should take ; for the quarter-master of his troop 
was very young, and the rest of the non-commissioned 
officers were without experience. He therefore cor- 
dially approved of the determination, and giving me let- 
ters to Major Wallace, the commanding officer, and to 
the adjutant, expressive of his entire approbation of my 
conduct, he sent me away. I joined the regiment in 
Guilford, where both officers and men behaved to me 
with the greatest kindness: and, in spite of perpetual 
drills, parades, receiving stores, and all the other an- 
noyances whicli are attendant on the formation of a new 
corps, 1 spent my tijne for a season very pleasantly. 

From this date, for the space of perhaps a year and 
a half, I have nothing to relate, except such incidents as 
befel in the course of our movements from one cavalry 
quarter to another. We passed, for example, from 
Guilford to Northampton, from Northampton to Rom- 


THE HUSSAK. 


73 


ford, from Romford to Dorchester, and from Dorchester 
to Chichester and Southampton, without meeting with 
any adventure that seems to demand description. It is 
true that we changed our commanding officer in this 
interval more than once; for there came a Colonel 
Taylor from the 7th to supersede Major Wallace, who 
again was superseded for a brief space by Colonel R. 
Gillespie. In like manner. Colonel Gillespie being de- 
sirous of joining the 19 th in India, effected an exchange 
with Colonel, now Sir Robert Wilson, under whom the 
discipline of the regiment was well kept up, without a 
single appeal to the cat. But these are matters with 
which, as the narrator of my own career, 1 have com- 
paratively slight concern. Let me, therefore, describe 
only two circumstances, both of which took place at 
Dorchester, and then pass on to matters of a more 
stirring kind ; such as are witnessed only by soldiers 
who have had an opportunity of learning what war 
really is. 

There was in our regiment a man called Fitzgerald, 
an Irishman of great stature, but quite unfit, from that 
very circumstance, for a Light Dragoon. He had been 
enlisted by Lord Heathfield himself as a feugelman,and 
seldom discharged any other duty than that of orderly 
to the officer commanding. He was married ; received 
every possible indulgence, was highly esteemed by the 
Colonel, and did pretty much as he liked. When we 
lay at Dorchester there was a continual complaint 
among us that some article of our clothing was stolen. 
Now, a pair of boots, now a pair of leather breeches ; 
now this thing, and now another was missing ; and the 
most provoking part of the business was, that nobody 
knew what had become of them. At last one of our 
men, happening to look into a pawnbroker’s shop, saw 
a great coat rolled up on the counter, and recognised 
the regimental mark upon the cape. He went instantly 
to the adjutant, who causing a search to be instituted, 
ibund a large portion of the articles which had been 

VoL. I,—— G 


74 


THE HUSSAR. 


stolen from the barrack-rooms, in 'the pav'nbroker’s 
possession ; and learned from the knight ot duplicates, 
tliat they all came from the same quarter, namely, from 
the tallest man in the corps. Fitzgerald was sent for 
to the orderly-room, and charged with the theft. 

“ You’re mistaken, sir,” said be to the adjutant, “ I 
am not the thief, but I know who Is, and will fetch 
him.” 

“ Go, and do so, then,” replied the adjutant 

Fitzgerald went, but not a foot did be move to return. 
On the contrary, he bolted through the barrack-gate, 
away into the corn-fields, and for some time we saw no 
more of him. 

Fitzgerald was a daring resolute fellow, and having 
his wife in lodgings in the town, not only did not make 
off as deserters generally do, but had the hardihood to 
visit and sometimes to spend the whole night with her. 
The circumstance was reported to the Colonel, who 
flew into a passion, and directed all the non-commis- 
sioned officers to go with pistols and carbines in pursuit, 
and to bring him in, dead or alive. There was as nice 
a hunt through the fields as ever was seen, for the 
country is open for miles round the town ; and Fitz- 
gerald, being warned of his danger, got the start, and 
long kept it. But he was gradually headed here and 
there, and driven back towards a wooded avenue, whicli, 
like the boulevards of many of our continental towns, 
begirds the place, where, each behind a tree, stood cor-, 
porals and serjeants without number; most of whom 
being unwilling to take his life, strove to master him 
with the butts of their carbines, but w^ere beaten oflu 
At last one, a foreigner like myself, levelled his piece, 
and exclaimed, “Stop, Fitzgerald, or I’ll fire.” 

“ Fire, and be d— — d 1” was thjc answer. He did 
fire ; and the ball passing beneath the man’s arm, and 
out through his left breast, killed him on the spot. 
There was of course an inquest, and a verdict of man- 
slaughter, followed by an imprisonment and trial. But 


THE HUSSAR. 


75 


the imprisonment was rendered light by the attentions 
paid to the captive by his officers, and the jury acquitted 
him. 

The other circumstance was this. When we occu- 
pied the barracks at the same place, one of our men got 
a pass wliich permitted him to be abroad at roll-call, 
and to remain as late as twelve o’clock. He went to a 
public-house, drank too freely, and rose to come away 
in good time ; but in his confusion let the pass fall from 
his hand, and returned to his room without it. Next 
morning some constables came and took him out of bed, 
on a charge of robbery. The bank, it appeared, had 
been broken into over-night, and this man’s pass was 
found on the counter by the persons who first came to 
investigate the circumstances. He was committed to 
prison, as a matter of course, and put upon his trial ; 
but no harm overtook him. It was sworn to that there 
was barely time for a man to pass from the public- 
house to the barrack-gate in the interval which elapsed 
between his settling his bill and his admission by the 
guard ; while his comrades all attested that he lay 
down in a state of intoxication, and never raised his 
head from the pillow till the constables came for him. 
Moreover, it appeared on closer examinatii'n, that the 
entry had been effected through an aperture which was 
incapable of admitting, I do not say the man himself, 
but his head. On such evidence he was acquitted. 
Yet his escape was a narrow one ; nor could it ever be 
ascertained by whom his pass had been used in a man- 
ner so well calculated to screen the real culprit, and 
bring an innocent man into trouble. 

1 pass by the feelings which bowed down the mem- 
bers of the two Icfl squadrons, when after a march to 
Southampton, they beheld their comrades of the two 
fight squadrons embark under Major Butler’s orders, 
for foreign service. They went joyously on board, and 
w’e attended them to the pier with band playing, and 
every other demonstration of respect ; but when they 


76 


THE HUSSAR. 


were gone, we returned to our barracks like men on 
whom some slight had been passed ; so reluctant were 
we to separate from our old mess-mates, and so cha- 
grined at being denied our share in the honour that was 
before them. Neither need 1 describe the sort of life 
which we led at Ipswich, where Lord Paget, now Mar- 
quis of Anglesea, commanded a cavalry brigade, and 
gave them, in fair weather and foul, both early and 
late, ample occupation. Rather let me hurry on to the 
moment, on our parts long and anxiously desired, when 
being commanded by Col. Wilson, we were marched to 
Portsmouth, and, after delivering over our horses to 
persons appointed to receive them, removed on board of 
ship. Whither we were going nobody knew, and few 
took the trouble to inquire. It was enough for us to be 
assured, that now at length there was a prospect of ser- 
vice before us ; and though the removal of our horses 
seemed to point to a distant field of operations, even 
that anticipation nowise damped our spirits. We gave 
three hearty cheers to the crowds who thronged the 
shore to witness our departure, and rejoiced exceedingly, 
when, the anchors being raised, our squadron moved 
slowly down Channel. 

The armament to which I was now attached, had at 
its head Admiral Popham and General Sir David Baird ; 
the former in command of the fleet, the latter of the 
troops. Our first rendezvous was the Cove of Cork, of 
which it is unnecessary that I should give a description, 
further than that the wretched appearance of the boat- 
men and people on shore struck me very much. But I 
saw little of them, and nothing of their neighbours ; 
for, after a brief sojourn, for the purpose of taking in 
stores, we again weighed anchor, and stood beyond the 
harbour’s mouth, under a gentle breeze, with not fewer 
than seventy-five sail in company. Neither did our fair 
wind leave us all the way to Madeira, where we touch- 
cd and lay a little space for refreshment ; after which 
we again pursued our voyage, without meeting with 


THE HUSSAR. 


77 


any adventure, till the port of Salvador lay before us. 
I soon found that our sojourn here was likely to be pro- 
tracted a little, for the Colonel went on shore avowedly 
to purchase h'orses, and both water and fresh provisions 
were exhausted ; I therefore requested, and obtained 
permission to land ; and as the circumstances attending' 
this ramble appear, at least to myself, to have some in- 
terest, I shall perhaps be pardoned if I shortly describe 
them. 

St. Salvador is divided into two towns, the upper and 
the lower, of which the former stands beautifully on the 
ridge of a hill; while the latter, full of filth and the 
fumes of the coarsest tobacco, runs along the margin of 
the water. There are plenty of convents and monas- 
teries in both, but particularly in the upper town ; into 
the chapel attached to one of which I, with two of my 
fellow Serjeants, entered. It was the hour of vespers, 
and the monks all sang*, with might and main, the 
chants peculiar to the day, to which we listened with 
imperturbable gravity, till one, more corpulent than the 
rest, came to us, and desired to know whether we were 
Christians. We said “ Yes,” of course ; upon which a 
second question was put, “ Whence come ye ?” Now, 
I had my wits about me, and replied, without hesitation, 
“ From Ireland.” That was as it ought to have been. 
Ireland was indeed a Christian country ; and we should 
get into favour at once, provided it could be shown that 
we understood what was going on around us. Accord- 
ingly, the Abbot (for such he proved to be) opened a 
mass-book, and requested me to read. I had not for- 
gotten my Latin, but read with such correctness, that 
the fat man was quite charmed. We were carried into 
the refectory and feasted on sweet-meats and fruit, well 
washed down with wine of the best quality ; after which 
we took our leave, and returned to the inn where we 
had ordered a dinner to be in readiness. Neither did 
we fail to make the same answer to our host, who was 
just as inquisitive touching the stale of our belief, as the 
G2 


THE HUSSAR. 


:8 

Abbot. Finally, the cloth was laid, the dinner served, 
and we made ready to begin. 

But there is a custom in St. Salvador which could 
not be emitted. At the head of the table, between two 
lighted tapers, a wmoden crucifix was placed, towards 
which the waiter looked with all possible earnestness 
while he said grace; and when the meal was ended the 
same ceremony occurred, with this remarkable addition. 
Having returned thanks, the waiter took the crucifix 
and kissed it; he then handed it to us, by whom it was 
kissed too. And well would it have been, had all who 
visited St. Salvador acted with as mucli discretion as 
we did. But we had in our regiment two wild thought- 
less officers, one of whom was always followed by a 
poodle-dog, and he had the great imprudence to apply 
the crucifix to his dog’s mouth instead of kissing it him- 
self, as he had been requested to do. Immediately there 
was a rising throughout, the whole town, the conse- 
quences of which these gentlemen escaped only by 
flight ; while the same niglit, two persons, a sailor and 
a woman, were murdered ; doubtless in revenge of this 
wanton insult to the people’s prejudices. 

Having procured about one hundred horses, and re- 
cruited our sea-stock, the fleet again weighed anchor, 
very much to the satisfaction of those on board, between 
whom and the shore all communication except on duty 
was prohibited. I did not, however, continue my voy- 
age in the transport which had brought me thus fur, for 
the Captain of the Diomede 64, having requested the 
loan of a serjeant to instruct his midshipmen in the 
broad-sword exercise. Colonel Wilson was good enough 
to recommend me, and I got a berth in his vessel. 
While passing in the Diomc de from St. Salvador to the 
Cape, I witnessed, on a calm day, the loss of two India- 
men, which were wrecked on an island that rises so 
little above the level of the water, as to be covered when- 
ever the wind blows high. How they got on shore it 
waa difficult to imagine, for the breeze was of the light- 


THE HUSSAR. 


79 


est ; indeed, so smooth was the sea, tliat, except three 
persons, all, both passengers and crew, were saved with- 
out difficulty. Nor would these have perished, but for 
the intemperance of two, and the misguided and fatal 
avarice of the third. It is well known tliat Brigadier- 
General York perished because he had so loaded himself 
with doubloons, that falling short in his leap from the 
ship’s bowsprit to the rock, he sank like a stone, and 
never rose again. 

U' With the exception of this misfortune, and the usual 
rough sports in crossing the line, there happened noth- 
ing in the course of the voyage from St. Salvador to 
Table Bay particularly deserving of notice. Once, in- 
deed, our ship, which formed the rear-guard of the con- 
voy, cleared for action ; and the first-lieutenant placed 
me as captain at one of the guns. But the alarm proved 
to be groundless, for the strange fleet, which refused to 
answer our signals, even when we fired into their leader, 
showed at last the Portuguese colours, very much to 
our chagrin. Though, therefore, there was much la- 
mentation over bulk-heads knocked away, and sea- 
stock displaced, no bones were broken ; and we steered 
our course again, only half pleased with the result. But 
our mortification ceased to be remembered, when at 
length the lofty peak of Table Mount loomed above the 
waters. For two days we saw these bold heights rising 
before us, the resemblance to a lion couchant becoming 
hourly more and more distinct as we neared them ; and 
on the third, keeping clear of the Dutch batteries, 
which vainly sought to annoy us, we steered into Table 
Bay. There, about mid-channel, in a station which 
we compelled some fishermen to point out, the admiral 
took his berth, while round him the convoy, as by ones 
and twos the vessels got together, dropped anchor, and 
furled their sails. 


80 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

i SERVE AT .THE CAPE, AND IN THE RIVER PLATA. 

We were now at the end of our voyage, and had noth- 
ing further to seek than the opportunity of making 
good our landing, tlie signal to prepare for which soon 
floated from the commodore’s mast-head. Three days’ 
provisions were ordered to be cooked, and all boats to 
be got in readiness ; while armed launches, and such 
vessels as drew the least water, were moved as near to 
the beach as seemed compatible with a due regard to 
their own safety. Meanwhile, the enemy were not idle. 
Their batteries along shore, both numerous and heavily 
armed, kept up an incessant fire, particularly upon our 
reconnoitering frigate the Leda, which never seemed to 
regard such salutations; while large masses of men 
showed themselves on the heights, as if determined to 
push us back into the sea. Nevertheless, the boats were 
manned and filled with troops ; and the whole, rowing 
as close in-shore as the heavy surf would allow, there 
halted. I do not know why this move was made, for 
nothing came of it; indeed, after the loss of a barge 
and half a company of grenadiers, the whole of whom 
went down as soon as the boat upset, we were recalled 
by signal from the commodore, and returned each corps 
and troop to its respective vessel. 

There had been several councils of war previous to 
this attempt — they were renewed apparently with fresh 
spirit as soon as the attempt failed ; and it was deter- 
mined by those in authority to divide the force, by send- 
ing a portion, with Brigadier-General Beresford at their 
head, round to Saldana bay. It chanced that the 20th 
Light Dragoons formed part of General Beresford’s de- 
tachment, which put to sea at sun-set with a fair wind, 
and were, at an early hour in the morning, at their 


THE HUSSAR. 


81 


place of debarkation. Here very little show of opposi- 
tion was made. A few Boors, supported by a handful 
of French troops, rather watched our operations than 
strove to interrupt them ; so that before dark we were 
all safely on shore, our piquets planted, and our bivouac 
formed. Yet were we not without our difficulties. The 
horses, unaccustomed to the sort of food laid in for 
them at St. Salvador, had fallen into such wretched con- 
dition, that they were incapable of doing- service ; and 
the guns it was necessary to drag by sheer manual 
labour over the trackless sands of which the soil of 
this part of South Africa almost entirely consists. Ac- 
cordingly, though we began our march next day, our 
progress was of necessity slow ; while our sufferings 
from heat, and still more through the want of water, 
proved to be considerable. Still, as the enemy never 
showed a front, nor, indeed, approached nearer than a 
days’s march of us, we had, as a military body, nothing 
to do : and we found, on our arrival at Cape Town, that 
it was alreadyt in possession of the English. 

The tale of the capture of the Cape of Good Hope 
has been so often told already, that I may be excused 
from entering upon the subject now, more especially as 
the operation presented but few incidents by the de- 
scription of which a common reader or listener is likely 
to be attracted. A trifling skirmish opened the gates of 
the capital to our people; after which General Jansen, 
unable to maintain himself in the interior, became, 
with his army, prisoners of war. Neither is it neces- 
sary to linger long over the details of my own life, 
during the few months which I spent in South Africa, 
One or two anecdotes, such as occur to my recollection 
at the moment, will probably suffice to fill up what 
might otherwise be a blank in my narrative ; and then 
we pass on to other and more curious matters, in which 
it was my fortune to bear a part. 

The duty in Cape Town resembled in almost every 
particular the order of service in a common garrison 


82 


THE HUSSAR. 


town in England. Sir David Baird, being a mighty 
disciplinarian, had all his infantry officers at the balance 
step; and, watch in hand, appeared himself on the 
drill-ground, regulating their movements as if he had 
been the adjutant of a regiment. So passed the time 
from six to seven each morning, after which came regi- 
mental and brigade parades, from which the men never 
retired before nine, and sometimes not for an hour or 
two later. Meanwhile, in barracks, pipe-claying, heel- 
balling, and the other amusements peculiar to the sol- 
dier in those days, went forward ; which were diversi- 
fied by guard-mountings, field-days, roll-calls, and a 
system of drill, to which there seemed to be no end. It 
was otherwise with us of the 20th Light Dragoons, 
Our Colonel, Sir Robert Wilson, gave us as little trou- 
ble as possible. We took our piquets, to be sure, and 
paraded once a day, besides attending faithfully to our 
stable duty, and preserving good order; but he never 
harassed us with work that was not called for ; and as 
to punishments, there were none, because they were not 
needed. Nay, more — he used to march us two or three 
times a week, in our stable-dresses, to an elevated plain 
about a mile from the town, and there encourage us to 
play at all sorts of athletic games, himself and his bro- 
ther officers taking part in them. This latter proceed- 
ing, however, accorded not at all with the rigid notions 
of the General. Having come upon us one day, while 
engaged in our sports, he took no notice of the circum- 
stance at the moment, but the very next morning a 
general order appeared, which left us no leisure for a 
repetition of the scene. The riding-school was brought 
into play — we had our parades and drills as well as the 
best of them — and were made to feel that, under what 
is called a smart commander, the English soldier must 
cease to think of aught except the drudgery of his pro- 
fession 

While the main body of our force occupied Cape 
Town, a line of outposts was established about seventy 


THE HUSSAR. 


83 


miles in the interior, which were relieved, from time to 
time, by detachments both of horse and foot, sent up 
for that purpose. It came to my turn, among others, 
to be employed on this service; and 1 found myself, 
with a captain of my own regiment, a cornet, a lieu- 
tenant of artillery, about forty men, and two six-pound- 
ers, occupying the house of a wealthy Dutch farmer. 
Our host was exceedingly civil, particularly to me, who 
acted as interpreter between him and his guests; and 
being rich in flocks, and liberal in his ideas, we fared 
well. We had plenty to eat and drink, excellent stabling 
for our horses, little or nothing to do in the way of duty, 
and a good deal of amusement. For example, we all 
became hunters of wolves, of which we destroyed 
great numbers; though, at the outset, our acquaintance 
with these animals had well nigh proved too intimate. 
The case was this. 

Our host was in the habit of collecting his flock 
every night, within a large kraal or pen, round which 
his slaves kept fires burning, in order to scare away the 
wolves. Not being aware of the boldness with which 
these animals make their attacks, I had gone, with a 
number of my comrades, to sleep one night among 
some straw, about fifty yards in front of the kraal; for 
the weather was hot, the rooms were close, and we 
fancied that we should be more comfortable without 
doors than within. We made for ourselves excellent 
nests among the litter, r^hich we drew over us, and 
were sound asleep, when suddenly a whole troop of 
animals came rushing along, numbers of which trod 
upon our chests, heads, and limbs, without, however, 
doing us any injury. We awmke, of course ; and to 
our great astonishment, heard several shots fired, after 
which, back came our four-footed visitants, again dash- 
ing through our capacious bed without ceremony. This 
was too much, so we sprang to our feet, and learned, 
to our amazement, that the kraal had been attacked by 
a pack of wolves, a large portion of which had galloped 


84 


THE HUSSAR. 


over us as we lay asleep. Immediately an impulse was 
given, under which we acted during the remainder of 
our sojourn at the outposts. 

We watched for the wolves night after night, the ar- 
tillery officer planting one of his guns so as to give 
them a salute — and once he fired, and, with the grape 
with which he had loaded, killed two of them. But 
the alarm throughout the line, occasioned by that shot, 
was indescribable. All night long patrols were coming 
in to ascertain what was the matter ; so that our officer 
was never again tempted to repeat his experiment, 
which, indeed, was little needed, for we soon found out 
a more convenient method of dealing with them. There 
were in our vicinity three w'olf-towers — that is to say, 
circular buildings, hollow in the midst, and about ten 
feet in height — having a sort of trap-door in each, simi* 
lar in its construction to those which are used in rat- 
traps — and a place within where the bait, a rotten sheep, 
could be fastened. Into these the wolves were tempted 
every night, the trap-door falling down upon them the 
moment they touched a particular spring ; and in the 
mornings we used to go, with muskets and carbines, to 
shoot them from above. We destroyed by these means 
some hundreds of those mischievous animals. 

Our tour of duty being.'endcd we returned to Cape 
Town, where matters continued to be managed so as 
to disgust our commanding officer, and to our great 
grief he left us. Before he went away, however, he 
assembled both officers and men upon parade, and as- 
sured us that his first proceeding after he should reach 
England, would be, to apply for our recall. He then 
entreated the major, on whom the command would de- 
volve, to act up to the system of internal economy 
which he had established, and expressed a hope that 
when we met again, he should find the defaulter’s book 
as little blotted with entries as it was at that moment. 
Colonel Wilson was not yet out of sight of land, ere 
}ii8 parting admonition was forgotten. The officer to 


THE HUSSAR. 


85 


whose tender mercies he committed us had been edu- 
cated in a different school, and he preferred the lessons 
learned in his youth to those which he had acquired in 
manhood ; so the cat-o-nine-tails which had fallen 
among us into entire disuse came immediately into play. 
I am quite sure that with all this severity the duty was 
not better done ; and I know that things which used to 
be accounted an amusement, were now felt as a hard- 
ship. 

Our only hope thenceforth was that Colonel Wilson 
would pel form his promise, and that we should be re- 
called fVoin a station which our superiors were deter- 
mined to make as little agreeable to us as possible. 
Neither were we disappointed in that hope. The Colo- 
nel quitted us on Fob. 18, 1806, and in the month of 
August in the same year, there arrived two squadrons of 
the 21st Dragoons, to whom we were commanded to 
make over our horses. It was a bright day for us in 
which we obeyed that order, and our imaginations 
were busy with the delights of England, when a large 
black ship made her appearance in Table Bay, and our 
destination was immediately changed. 

I had forgotten to state, that not long afler the fall of 
the Cape, an expedition against Monte Video and Bue- 
nos Ayres was planned, and that a force under Briga- 
dier General Beresfbrd had proceeded with commodore 
Popham to attempt the reduction of these places. At 
first all went well with them. The enemy opened their 
gales, and the inhabitants submitted ; but by-and-by a 
change for the worse occurred ; and the vessel, just al- 
luded to, was the bearer of dispatchesAvhich announced 
the imminent danger to which out- comrades were ex- 
posed. Immediately reinforcements of ships and men 
were directed to proceed to the Plata; along with 
which w'c, being now dismounted, and one squadron of 
the 21st, to which our horses had been made over, re- 
ceived orders to take our passage. 

Before I enter upon the narrative of our operations 
VoL. 1 .— H 


86 


THE HUSSAR. 


on the river Plata, it is necessary that I should guard 
myself against the risk of being thought to speak in 
terms otherwise than respectful of Sir David Baird. — - 
He was undeniably too much addicted to the harassing 
system, and sometimes mistook the duties of an adju- 
tant for those of a general : but he was impartial, paid 
no respect to person, and never deprived the soldier of 
his dues. The treasure found at Cape Town, (and it 
was considerable) he divided on the spot between the 
fleet and the army ; and he knew in dealing with indi- 
viduals how to show mercy, as well as how to be 
severe. For example, there was one of his orderlies, a 
corporal of the 20th, who, though a good man on the 
whole, forgot himself so much as to get twice drunk, in 
spite of the general’s admonitions to the contrary. Now 
there was no crime which Sir David hated so much 
as drunkenness, out of which he was accustomed 
to say, all other crimes took their rise, and corporal 
Marshall, after the second offence was sent back to the 
regiment, with directions that he should be tried by a 
court-martial. The sentence implied, as might be 
expected, reduction to the ranks, to be followed 
by corporal punishment. The first of these punish- 
ments General Baird permitted our commanding 
officer to carry into execution ; from the last he desired 
that the culprit might be excused ; and knowing his 
worth, he took him again into his family, where the 
man conducted himself ever after with the utmost pro- 
priety. He was accordingly restored to his chevrons, 
and I shall have occasion to speak of him again in the 
sequel. 

I return now to our voyage, which proved to be 
tempestuous, insomuch that the fleet soon became scat- 
tered in all directions, and the ships were compelled to 
steer their course, each independently of its consorts. 
That in which the 20th Light Dragoons happened to 
embark, was the first to reach the Plata, — a magnifi- 
cent river, in point of width, and soon as you ascend 


THE HUSSAR. 


87 


beyond the influence of the tide, remarkable for the 
excellence of its water. Of the scenery that adorns its 
banks — the wide and open plains, bou:ided afar off by 
lofty mountains, it is unnecessary that I should speak. 
When you first enter the mighty stream you see, to be 
sure, nothing of these things, for the space from shore 
to shore measures upwards of one hundred miles, but 
as you draw towards Monte Video the panorama be- 
comes attractive in the extreme, particularly to persons 
who, like ourselves, had suffered much from the effects 
of a rough sea. We were all therefore deeply interest- 
ed with the objects around us, though our surprise was 
a good deal excited, when we found no vessel waiting 
with orders, nor other signs of our predecessors in the 
river. But at last a small King’s cutter hove in sight, 
which signalised us to come under her stern and com- 
municated to our captain the sad intelligence that Gen- 
eral Beresford and his troops were cut off. “ I am 
sorry to say,” added the officer who spoke, “ that we 
have not a foot of ground to stand upon ; nevertheless 
you must continue your course till you reach the 
Admiral’s station, where directions will be given as to 
your future arrangements.” 

On we went, greviously chagrined by a communica- 
tion so little expected, till at the close of another day’s 
sail we beheld the fleet laying at anchor in the middle 
of the river. Casting our eyes landward, we saw at 
the same time that the Spanish flag waved upon the 
battlements of Monte Video, while an occasional shot 
from the batteries, as a boat or light craft ventured near 
gave proof that the garrison was on the alert. As the 
commander of the cutter had forewarned us, we were 
immediately brought to by the admiral, who confirmed 
the intelligence of general Beresford’s defeat, and di- 
rected us to take up a convenient berth while our con- 
sorts were assembling. We obeyed his orders of 
course ; and during several days sole occupation con- 
sisted in watching the arrival of one straggler after 


88 


THE HUSSAR. 


another, and in speculating-, as men so circumstanced 
are apt to do, touching the probable designs of our 
superiors. 

The fleet came in at la^t, and no accident having oc- 
curred to any portion of it, was collected round the 
admiral’s ship in the order by him pointed out. Then 
followed signals for officers commanding regiments and 
the heads of departments to attend a council of war, 
the result of which was, that an attempt ought to be 
made, first to silence the enemy’s batteries which com- 
manded the coast, and then to force a landing. As 
good luck would have it, too, there had arrived in the 
Plata a three-decker bound from India to England, 
which the admiral pronouncing unfit to undertake so 
long a voyage, added to his own squadron, and resolved 
to employ against the town. Accordingly she moved in 
support of a flotilla of schooners and ships’ launches 
towards Monte Video, in order, to reduce, which, 
several transports had at the same time been fitted up 
as bomb-ships. But there was not sufficient depth of 
water to bring the Lancaster within range ; and the 
rest were too light to do damage to the enemy’s works. 
A couple of hours unless cannonading sufficed to show, 
that this scheme would not answer ; and the battering 
vessels being recalled, new councils were held, and new 
determinations arrived at. 

The senior officer present with our armament, was 
Lieutenant Colonel Backhouse, of the 47th regiment; 
the second in command was Lieutenant-Colonel Vessel 
of the 38th. Colonel Brownrig acted as quarter- 
master-general, and was assisted in the adjutant-gener- 
ral’s department by Captain Ebrington. By these gen- 
tlemen — the whole staff of the army — it was judged 
expedient to get possession of Maldonado, an open town 
at some distance below Monte Video, where the troops 
being delivered from the inconveniences of a long im- 
prisonment on board of ship, might establish a post, and 
wait for reinforcements. Accordingly at daybreak one 


THE HUSSAR. 


89 


morning the fleet weiglied anchor ; and keeping out of 
reach of the guns of a strong fort, which the enemy 
still held in the middle of the stream, brought up, after 
a few hours’ delay, as near to the bank as possible. — 
Immediately the boats were hoisted out, and the troops 
having been already prepared for the movement, stepped 
without confusion into their places and the disembarka- 
tion was effected. For there were no batteries iiere to 
harass us, and the ships launches with carronades in 
their bows, soon cleared the level strand of the few 
musketeers that showed themselves ; yet were the ene- 
my not unprepared to give us a welcome. About three 
or four hundred yards from high water mark, there 
were some ranges of low sand-hills, behind which, 
having a couple of field-pieces to support them, the 
Spaniards, were drawn up in force. Though they did 
not see this formation, our chiefs, suspected that such a 
thing might be, and they made their dispositions ac- 
cordingly. The infantry was formed in an echellon 
line — the grenadiers of the 38th being near the right 
— the mounted cavalry were in reserve — and we, who 
had no horses, fell in as light infantry on the left. Two 
three-pounders dragged by seamen constituted the whole 
of our artillery, and considering the difficulties that at- 
tended the transport of wheel-carriages through the 
sand, they were amply sufficient for all purposes. 

Such was the order into which we threw ourselves, 
as soon as the last of our detachments touched the 
land ; and our advance was begun in the highest spirits, 
and in full confidence of success. Neither did the 
enemy fire a shot, till the grenadiers on our extreme 
right had topped the sand-hill, when a volley was 
thrown in upon them wffth more murderous effect than 
I recollect on any other occasioil to have witnessed. — 
They fell by sections — almost every man being struck 
in the head. There was of course a momentary con- 
fusion, while the survivors recoiled under the ridge, but 
no serious check occurred. The line formed again, 
H2 


90 


THE HUSSAR, 


sprang with a rush over the summit, poured in a well* 
directed fire upon the Spaniards, and overthrew them 
in a moment. No pause was made, nor titne given to 
rally, for the squadron of the 2 1st charged home : and 
a round or two of grape from the three-pounders com- 
pleted the defeat. We took the cannon and turned 
them on the fugitives — after which we pursued them 
into Maldonado, and sweeping from house to house, were 
in five minutes masters of the town. Then followed a 
scene of barricading and plunder, such as I have no 
words to describe. While some ran to fill up the ends 
of the streets w'ith barrels, cars, and household furni- 
ture, others broke into wdne and spirit stores, or ranged 
through the dwellings of the inhabit mts, carrying des- 
truction and terror into all their quarters. For our 
commandant gave his people three hours’ licence, and 
never surely did men make better use of the opportuni- 
ties afforded them. It was in vain that tlie officers flew 
from cellar to cellar, knocking in the heads of casks 
and pouring out the contents into the street. The 
soldiers, if they could not get at liquor elsewhere, drop- 
ped their canteens into the kennel and w'erc soon in a 
state which set all subordination and discipline at defi- 
ance. It was well for us that the Spaniards did not 
think of returning to the attack. If they had done so, 
we should have been cut to pieces, almost without resis- 
tance. 

Maldonado, though not a fortified town, was a mili- 
tary station — that is to say, there was a barrack there 
— a gloomy pile, having ail its windows secured with 
iron bars and surrounded by a lofty wall. Into that 
building we thrust our prisoners, of whom a large 
number had fallen into our hands, and there kept them 
till an opportunity offered of sending them on board the 
fleet. Meanwhile the few among our own people who 
were fit for duty, took the outposts, and the rest slept 
where they had fallen down — some in houses, some in 
the streets, but all in a state of helpless intoxication. — 


THK HUSSAR. 


91 


Under such circumstances, the night was, to those in 
command, an anxious one. But with the morrow came 
such threats from head-quarters, as, assisted by the 
provost and his guard, restored order; and the men 
betook themselves to the work of fortifying and render- 
ing the post tenable. Moreover, the walls of the houses 
were posted with proclamations inviting the inhabi- 
tants to return home, and assuring them in the common 
style of such documents, that the English were not 
come as conquerors but as friends. Still the work of 
pillage, though covertly carried on, could not be entirely 
suppressed ; and I plead gulty in my own person, of 
having committed one outrage upon property. 

I have no taste for drinking, and never had. Like 
other soldiers I enjoyed my glass when it came in the 
way ; but such scenes as were enacted in Maldonado 
on the present occasion always filled me with horror 
and disgust. While others were marauding in crowds 
I accordingly kept quiet ; but no sooner was discipline 
restored than I determined to see whether the whole- 
sale plunderers had left any gleanings behind, such as 
might satisfy my moderate desires. With this view I 
sallied forth one day from the barrack, into which we 
were by this time marched, and stealing along by the 
backs of the houses so as to elude the notice of the 
prevost, I entered a deserted mansion, and began to look 
about It was thoroughly ransacked, the furniture was 
all broken, and every thing of value apparently removed ; 
indeed I saw but one article on the ground floor, a 
small square table which was entire. I struck my fist 
upon it, and heard something rattle. This induced me 
to feel about for the handle of some drawer ; but I 
could discover nothing of the kind, so I turned it upside 
down, and jumped upon it The bottom of the drawer 
gave way, and I beheld a dozen silver-handled knives 
and forks, of which I took immediate possession, and 
wrapping them up in my pocket-handkerchief, stuffed 
them into my bosoui, and mounted the stairs. Again, 


92 


THE HUSSAR. 


the spectacle that met my eyes was of the most melan- 
choly kind, fur the progress of the spoiler was every- 
where visible : yet I again ascertained that my prede- 
cessors had left their work incomplete, and my hopes 
were a second time excited. There was a small door in 
the wall of one of tlie bed-rooms w'hich seemed to have 
escaped notice, for it was closed, and resisted all my 
efforts to open it. “ Now,” thought I, “ suppose the 
Padrone should have kept his money -chest here. It is 
exactly the sort of place for a safe” — and money and 
jewels, it may be necessary to add, were the only 
species of property which I coveted. Full of this idea 
I looked about till I discovered a shovel in one of the 
cellars, with which I attacked the door, now pressing it 
from below, now forcing my weapon through the narrow 
side slit, till at lust it flew open. I sprang forward and 
found myself in a well- furnished dressing closet — in the 
wardrobes surrounding which were both ladies’ and 
gentlemen’s apparel made after the newest fashion, and 
of the most costly materials. But I did not want coats 
or silk gowns, so I looked farther and beheld two trunks, 
both of them locked, standing at the opposite extremity. 
Into them, with the help of my friendly shovel, I soon 
made my way and w'as again disappointed to perceive 
that they, too were filled with articles of dress. Shirts 
of the finest linen, chemises flounced with lace, silk 
stockings, silk handkerchiefs, and ladies’ shoes — these 
made up the lading of the boxes — while here and there 
I came upon a petticoat of the richest brocade, and a 
robe of which I could scarce estimate the value. 

I gazed long and eagerly on my treasure, lamenting 
only the absence of means for securing it entire ; and 
pondering within myself what selection to make out of 
so much that was tempting. At last after packing up 
a petticoat or two, I found them too bulky, and was 
forced to content myself with a dozen shirts, as many 
shifts, some silk stockings and handkerchiefs. Of these 
I made a bundle, with which, under my arm, I loitered 


THE HUSSAR. 


93 


about till it grew dark, and then stole quietly back, 
throwing all my eyes about me, to the barrack. I was 
fortunate enough to reach my quarters unobserved, and 
soon won the hearts of the women of the regiment, 
by distributing among them the chemises and silk stock- 
ings, The shirts and handkerchiefs I of course kept to 
myself, and for many years afterwards I continued to 
wear them, whenever it was my wish to appear in female 
society to the best advantage, 


94 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER IX. 

I SEE MORE SERVICE, AND STRIKE A FEW BLOWS. 

Such was the routine of our existence for some time 
in Maldonado. The provost going continually about 
with a drummer and guard, he soon became the only 
successful marauder in the place; for he was a wise 
man in his generation and knew how to thrive upon the 
execution of the laws. His mode of proceeding was 
this. If he caught a poor devil laden with booty, he 
eased him of his burden forthwith, tied him up and 
gave him five-and-twenty lashes ; an amount which he 
was never known to exceed, unless the culprit proved 
refractory. For after the twenty-fiflh had been applied, 
his humanity always got the better of his sense of jus- 
tice, and he would say, “ Now be off, I have not seen 
you, nor have you seen me.” Of course the tortured 
wretch was too happy to fall into these terms, so he de- 
parted with the comfortable conviction on his mind, that 
he had acted as jackal to the man in office, and helped 
him to make his fortune. 

There had been great waste of the necessaries of life 
when we first entered the town ; and a scarcity of pro- 
visions began in consequence to be felt. From the 
fleet, moreover, our supplies came in both irregularly 
and in small quantities ; for there, too, both food and 
rum began to run short. Under such circumstances, 
inquiries were instituted which led to the intelligence 
that numerous herds of cattle grazed over the plains in 
the interior : and spies being hired, it was resolved to 
send out an armed party, for the purpose of collecting 
and driving a herd of them in. To accomplish this ob- 
ject one hundred infantry and fifty horse were ordered 
to parade at ten o’clock at night, and to march under 
the guidance of a trusty emissary withersoever he might 


THE HUSSAR. 


95 


lead them. They went, and returned next day with 
Upwards of twenty bullocks ; a very acceptable booty 
both to soldiers and seamen, to which, nijrht after night, 
further additions were made. Horses, too, were by 
such means got together, in sufficient numbers to mount 
all the dragoons, while occasionally a mill was sur- 
prised, and its contents of flour brought to head-quar- 
ters. I was more than once employed on these ser- 
vices ; but as nothing extraordinary befcl, except twice, 
I shall Content myself with describing those excursions 
only, out of which something like an adventure arose. 

Our stock of fresh meat was getting very low, and the 
enemy, w^arned by our frequent forays, had driven their 
cattle to a distance ; when on Christmas eve, 1806, 
Colonel Backhouse heard from one of his agents, that 
at a particular point, not far from the water-side though 
deeper into the interior than we had yet ventured, a 
drove of some hundreds of bullocks was penned up. He 
determined to get possession of these if he could, and 
the ordinary force, a hundred infantry, and fifty troop- 
ers, were directed to parade, at the usual hour, for bul- 
lock-hunting. We moved off in high spirits ; and with 
videttes thrown out and other precautions taken, pene- 
trated, without meeting with the smallest opposition, to 
the point indicated by our guide. We reached it about 
three o’clock in the morning, and saw, sure enough, be- 
tween tw'o and thrdfe hundred cattle, with some valua- 
ble horses, gathered within a pen. To drive off the 
keepers, open the pen, and turn the animals’ heads to- 
wards Maldonado Was the work of a minute ; and after 
a short halt to refresh both men and animals, we be- 
gan our homeward march. But we had not proceeded 
far, when the day being fully broke, we saw the wide 
plain through which we were moving, covered with scat- 
tered bands of horsemen, who began sounding tlieir 
cow-horns with all their might, and riding in a direction 
parallel to that which we with our plunder were pursu- 
ing. Of course we pricked up our ears, and moved 


06 


THE HUSSAR. 


like men prepared for battle, till suddenly the yelling' 
of cows-horns ceased ; and the natives, putting each a 
finger in his mouth, sent forth a loud and peculiar cry, 
which the cattle appeared to understand as fully as we 
did our own language. Up went the tail of each par- 
ticular bullock straight on end, and away they galloped 
immediately, one taking this direction, another that, till 
the whole herd had dispersed to the various points of 
the compass. Then was there riding and running 
amongst us — some laughing, others swearing, but ail 
equally failing to head the brutes or keep them in their 
places; till suddenly their opened upon us, right and 
left, in front and in rear, a terrible fire of musketry. 
The Spaniards, it appeared, had laid for us an ambus- 
cade, into which our precipitancy hurried us, and no- 
thing now remained but to leave the cattle to them- 
selves and fight our way back to Maldonado. But the 
odds against us were too great. After losing several 
of our men and an officer — the latter shot through the 
heart — we were driven back to the water’s edge and 
there surrounded. Some tall rocks that lay within low- 
water mark afforded some cover to the infantry, while 
the cavalry had nothing for it but to skirmish at every 
disadvantage. It was a providential matter that the 
tide was out, otherwise no exertion of valour could have 
saved us ; and that the Spaniards held us in too much 
respect, to press us back from our hazardous position. 

We maintained the fight as we best could, charging 
from time to time when an opportunity offered, and 
then retreating again, so as to be in some degree pro- 
tected by the fire of the infantry, when the officer who 
commanded, seeing the impossibility of forcing his way 
through, sent off three dragoons, one after another, at 
intervals of five minutes, along the edge of the water 
towards head-quarters. Happily for themselves, none 
of them was cut off, though the arrival of one was all 
on which we ventured to count ; and Colonel Back- 
house lost not a moment in getting his people under 


THE HUSSAR 


97 


arms, with the whole of whom, a slight garrison being 
left to defend the works, he hastened to our relief. But 
the Spaniards did not wail his coming — they retreated 
on the first appearance of his scouts, and left us at liberty 
to march back, not a little mortified at the result of an 
excursion from which we had hoped to derive so much 
profit. 

The second expedition which I have undertaken to 
describe was somewhat similar to the above, except that 
the issue of the two by no means corresponded. It 
fell out thus : — 

About sixteen miles from Maldonado, though, like 
it, but a short way removed from the river, stands the 
city of San Carlos, an open town, but a place of some 
importance, being the residence of a bishop, and the 
capita] of the surrounding district. It was determined 
to lay San Carlos under requisition, and to threaten the 
inhabitants with a hostile visit, unless they supplied us 
with a certain quantity of cattle. To convey this mes- 
sage the accustomed three was sent out, Colonel Brown- 
rig and Captain Ebrington both being of the party, the 
latter of whom, by the way, seldom failed to be present 
whenever anything like fun or fighting was likely to 
take place. We arrived as usual, at an early hour in 
the morning, within a mile and a half of our point ; 
where the party being assembled, a flag of truce was 
sent in, and the pleasure of the English general ex- 
plained. No great time elapsed ere the bishop in full 
canonicals, followed by all the clergy of the place, came 
out to salute us. They brought with them multitudes 
of country people loaded witli bread, cheese, and wine, 
and having explained that they could not at that mo- 
ment furnish the cattle required, they promised, if the 
party would return on a stated day, that all would be 
prepared for them. As it was our policy to conciliate 
rather than overawe, the excuses of the bishop were ac- 
cepted, and Colonel Brownrig having permitted us to 

VoL. I.— I 


08 


THE hussar. 


cat and drink of what the San Carlos people supplied, 
our trumpets sounded to horse, and we withdrew. 

By-and-by the day came round at which we had en- 
gaged to return, and it was again my fortune to form 
one of the intended escort. It seemed, also, that though 
nowise distrusting the bishop. Colonel Brownrig was 
willing to provide against accidents ; for in addition to 
his infantry and cavalry, he took with him on this oc- 
casion, a lieutenant’s party of artillery and a couple of 
six-pounders. As it had happened to us before, so it 
befel now, we arrived within a mile and a half of San 
Carlos without opposition ; and w^ere scarcely halted, 
when the bishop and his clergy, without waiting to be 
sent for, came out to salute us. We planted our vi- 
dettes and sentries of course, on small eminences at a 
little distance from the road, after which we dismount- 
ed, and bridle in hand, began to eat and drink and be 
merry — but no cattle came. The bishop was ques- 
tioned ; he expressed his surprise, but assured us that 
they could not be far distant; nevertheless, as it might 
be inconvenient for us to wait, he would go and hurry 
their movements. fie went accordingly, with his 
clerical attendants ; after wliich the country people be- 
gan one by one to pack up their stores, and slink away. 
“ This is odd,” said Captain Ebrington to Colonel 
Brownrig, “ I don’t know what to make of it.” But 
scarcely were the words out of his mouth ere the mys- 
tery received its solution. First one vidette, then an- 
other, held up his helmet in his hand, fired his carbine 
and came galloping to the rear ; while the infantry w ho 
communicated with them, though more withdrawn, fol- 
lowed the example. Now the trumpets and bugles 
rang out to mount and fall in; and never was greater 
need ; for at the distance of perhaps a quarter of a mile, 
about five hundred horse made their appearance, push- 
ing towards us at full speed, and in excellent order. 

“ What shall we do?” cried one. “ Do this,” replied 
Brownrig, soon recovering his cumposure. “ You take 


THE HUSSAR 


99 


the cavalry, Blake, and meet them, and charge right 
through. I will form the infantry an'd guns on the 
flanks, and see whether they don’t get the worst of it.” 

It was no sooner said than done. There was no 
firing, no throwing out of skirmishes, but in a trice, draw 
swords and at them. Through and through we rode, 
hacking and cutting and receiving in our turn some 
hard blows ; one of which divided the chain that guard- 
ed my horse’s headstall, while two others wounded him 
in the neck. But we gave much more than we got 
Corporal Marshall, to whom I alluded some time ago, 
engaged the Spanish commandant hand to hand ; and, 
cutting clean through his left wrist with one blow, lent 
him another on his right temple, which divided the 
head into portions. The rest of us were levelling over 
men, when suddenly the bugles sounded the retreat, and 
we wheeled round. This was done to get us clear from 
the range of the infantry and guns, both of which were 
now in position, and eager to take part in the fray. Sel- 
dom have grape and musketry told with greater effect 
than the first volley. In three seconds the Spaniards 
were rolling one upon another, or scattered like sheep 
over the plain ; and we, having recovered our order, took 
good care that they should not rally. 

The victory was complete, and the loss on our side 
comparatively trifling ; but our commanders were not 
the sort of men to be content with this. “We’ll burn 
the town about their ears !” was Colonel Brownrig’s 
first exclamation after he got his people together: and 
he kept his word. We marched to the place, set it on 
fire in several quarters, and, having helped ourselves to 
such valuables as could be easily removed, withdrew. 
We brought hack such of our own wounded as could 
bear the jolting of cars, left the rest, with all the Span- 
iards, under the care of an English Surgeon ; and, car- 
rying back a good many prisoners, returned to Maldo- 
nado. 

Tlje enemy had by this time assembled in great force , 


100 


THE HUSSAR. 


and onr situation was becoming, day by day, more 
critical. Provisions were scarce ; for the stores in the 
fleet ran short, and our bullock hunts were now for the 
most part unproductive; nay, something like apprehen- 
sion was experienced for the safety of the town ; when, 
to our indescribable joy, a British fleet made its appear- 
ance in the offing. Succours, we concluded, were come 
at length, and all our difficulties were at an end. We 
had not deceived ourselves in this anticipation. The 
same evening, about four or five o’clock. Sir Samuel^ 
Achmuty landed, and, by his frank and generous bear- 
ing, gave an earnest of the kind treatment which we 
ever afterwards received at his hands. He caused us 
to be paraded in our stable and foraging dresses — ex- 
pressed his high admiration of our conduct — inquired 
into our wants — and assured us that it would be his 
business to make Us comfortable. He kept his promise ; 
for that very night a supply of rum, which we had not 
seen for a long while back, reached us — and in the 
course of the day following, so many men, both horse 
and foot, joined us, tliat we believed ourselves capable 
of joining where we liked, and accomplishing any ser- 
vice on which we might be directed. I cannot particu- 
larize the infantrv regiments which accompanied Sir 
Samuel; though I rememebr that the 95th Rifle corps 
was one of them ; but to support us there were the 9th 
and 7th Light Dragons, all dismounted. For some 
of these we speedily provided horses, and Brigadier 
General Lumley taking the command, appeared anxious 
to enter at once upon a wider and more enterprising 
system of warfare than we had heretofore pursued. 

The very night of the day in which the reinforce- 
ments landed, our Brigadier informed us that he should 
push the out-posts far beyond their former stations. He 
accordingly paraded us an hour or two later than usual ; 
and carrying us in the dark far a-head of our old land- 
marks, told us to keep a sharp look-out, inasmuch as 
we should probably have something to do. It was a 


THE HUSSAR. 


101 


night of incessant and heavy rain ; thundering and light- 
ning with all the violence peculiar to the climate of the 
Plata River ; and the darkness was such, that, after 
every flash, you could not see the length of your horse’s 
head before you. We had no cover, for our post was 
the open plain ; and fires it would have been imprudent 
to kindle ; consequently we either crouched under our 
horses’ bellies, or, wrapping ourselves up in our cloaks, 
came to the philosophical determination of getting 
thoroughly wet, yet not complaining. We were so 
circumstanced when Captain Du’Cane, being the officer 
on duty, proposed to me to carry out the relief, and 
said he wwald go with me. The exercise would hinder 
our horses from getting stiff ; and, as far as we our- 
selves were concerned, we should be just as comfortable 
in front as in rear. I assented at once, and we took 
the field ; but not a vidette could we discern ; so we 
kept circling and circling, hour after hour, to no pur- 
pose. We dared not shout, for the enemy were close 
at hand : it was impossible that we could have mistaken 
our line, for that was straight enough : what then could 
the matter be ? The return of light satisfied us on this 
head. We had passed clear through, not only our own 
chain, but that of the Spaniards ; and were now riding 
backwards and forwards about a hundred and fifty 
yards in rear of their sentries, and within less than 
half that distance from one of Jheir piquets. There 
was some staring on both sides, bflt little disposition to 
parley on ours ; we clapped spurs to our jaded animals, 
and rode off; yet we should have been probably over- 
taken, had not our own videttes observed pur danger, 
and made signs to the piquet to advance. The enemy 
did not desire a fight, so we escaped. 

The whole army was now assembled, and the Gene- 
ral, after well weighing the matter, came to the conclu- 
sion that our position was a false one, and ought to be 
changed. The post to be attacked was Monte Video ; 
and the more remote the scene of our operations, the 
12 


102 


THE HUSSAR. 


greater would, of course, be the obstacles which a nu- 
merous, if not an enterprising enemy, would be able to 
throw in our way. He therefore determined to em- 
bark his troops, and to effect a landing at some point 
within a single march of the town. With this view we 
were instructed to evacuate Maldonado without beat of 
drum ; and so judicious were the arrangements of those 
by whom the plan was concocted, that every man and 
horse returned on board of ship ere the Spaniards were 
made aware of our intentions. Some little delay oc- 
curred after the embarkation, but it was not great ; and 
then the fleet, raising its anchors, steered with a light 
breeze for a place called Brest Florence, about eight 
miles from Monte Video. We reached our new an- 
chorage in the morning, and the very same hour the 
boats were hoisted out. The consequence was, that al- 
together unopposed, and without inconvenience or the 
loss of life, the troops lay that night upon the downs 
and sand-hills that close in the Plata in this direc. 
tion. 

All night long the boats of the fleet were in motion ; 
and guns, stores, ammunition, and all the material of 
an army were landed in abundance. An hour before 
dawn, moreover, we stood, according to custom, in our 
places ; but, as the day broke, we received very satisfac- 
tory proof that the Spaniards had not been idle ; for a 
formidable array of infantry, cavalry, and artillery, was 
already in our front. They were drawn up on some 
heights about a couple of miles in the interior, and 
formed, with their wings thrown forward, three sides of 
a square; while their cannon, dragged by bullocks, 
were so disposed as to bring a cross fire on every point 
by which we might be expected to approach them. 
Sir Samuel examined their array carefully for a minute, 
and then ordered the advance, which our troops obeyed 
with the alacrity which English soldiers always exhibit 
when about to be led into action. 

Our dragoons were not yet entirely mounted. The 


THE HUSSAR. 


102 


squadron of the 20th, with the 21st, and such of the 9th 
and 17 th, as landed, had horses; and a portion of them, 
including our troop, were directed to move forward ; but 
we were not well handled. The officer in command led 
us to the brow of an eminence, just within point blank 
shot of the enemy’s artillery, and there, finding that 
they bad got the range, he halted. Several men and 
horses ,were killed and wounded in consequence, and 
more would have suffered had not Sir Samuel rode dp. 
He rebuked our commandant in good round terms, de- 
sired him to move down into the hollow, and keep his 
wits about him, as he would be needed very shortly. 
The old man was yet speaking, when a shot took his 
horse in the hip, and knocked the leg to shivers. Of 
course Sir Samuel fell to the ground as if slain ; and his 
staff (all of whom were with us prodigious favourites) 
crowded round him, to aseertain whether he was hurt. 

There’s nothing the matter,” said the gallant old 
soldier; “I’m not hurt in the least. Just help to get 
me from under this horse ; and John,” calling to his 
groom, “ fetch my charger.” It was done in a moment ; 
and I need scarcely add, that the perfect unconcern of 
our brave chief was not without its effect on the 
courage of his followers. For, no sooner was he on his 
legs, than he gave us some work to perform. “ Charge 
the gun, and that, and that,” said he ; “ they will annoy 
the infantry as they come up.” On we rushed at a gal- 
lop ; and sabring the cannoneers, were in possession of 
three pieces ere another shot had been fired. Mean- 
while, the rest of the troops were advancing to the at- 
tack with all the regularity and precision of a field day. 
The 95th, spreading through the sand-hills, opened the 
ball ; other regiments followed in. column ; and the 
enemy’s wings being driven in upon his centre, a scene 
of fearful confusion ensued. They fled in all directions, 
our people marching after them, as fast as was consis- 
tent with the preservation of their ranks. 

We pursued them that day under the very guns of 


104 


THE HUSSAR. 


Monte Video, and halted merely because the city gate* 
were shut. So close, however, were we to the walls, 
that we could distinguish the muzzles of the enemy’s 
cannon, from which, it is greatly to be wondered at, 
that we met with no annoyance. For we stood till it 
grew dusk within light field-piece range, yet not a shot 
was fired. We then fell back to an advantageous posi- 
tion, about a couple of miles to the rear ; whence, after 
stationing our out-posts, and making other necessary 
arrangements, we entered on the business of a siege. 


THE HUSSAR. 


10 & 


CHAPTER X. 

SIR SAMUEL ACHMUTV CARRIES ON THE WAR, AND I MY 
OWN ADVENTURES. 

Monte Video, of which our object was to recover pos- 
session, is justly said to form the key of the Plata ; its 
harbour being by far the most commodious throughout 
the course of that river ; and its fortifications possessing 
strength enough to hold out against any sudden or ill. 
arranged attack. At the period of our arrival under ita 
walls, the government of the town rested with Admiral 
Leniers, who had served on board the Spanish fleet at 
the battle of Trafalgar, and was accounted an able and 
determined officer. 1 do not know the exact strength 
of the garrison, which was, however, numerous ; and 
remembering its recent triumph over General Beresford 
and his brigade, was inspired with the most resolute 
spirit ; while outside the ditch was an army of obser- 
vation, which was by us considered to amount to full 
thirty thousand men. In carrying our estimate to this 
height, it is not impossible that we may have been mis- 
taken. But however this may be, it is certain that, to 
conduct the siege, and at the same time hold the ene- 
my’s field force in check, required all the daring and 
other soldier-like qualities of a British army that scarce- 
ly exceeded five thousand combatants. 

For several days after the battle, the troops were em- 
ployed in throwing up batteries, unto which the sea- 
men from the fleet cheerfully lent their assistance in 
guns. The fire of the place, however, 
proved so far superior to anything that we could bring 
against it, that there seemed to be but a slender pros- 
pect of effecting a breach — till an artificial mound was 
occupied witliin musket-shot of one of the bastions, and 
a battery for six pieces established under its cover. The 


106 


THE HUSSAR. 


mound in question had, it appeared, been raised by the 
natives, as a sort of butt or embankment to catch the 
balls which they might fire at a target ; and now it 
* was converted, by our engineers, into a blind, from the 
rear of which the town might be bombarded. Of these 
matters, however, it becomes me to speak wi!h caution. 
As a cavalry soldier I had no share either in the labours 
or the honour of the siege — my duty requiring me to 
watch that my comrades were not attacked when they 
least expected it by the enemy in the field. 

It was at this stage in the blockade that the enemy 
hazarded a sortie, to themselves eminently disastrous, to 
us, as a mere spectacle, peculiarly shocking. We had 
heard, all night long, the noise of mirth and revelry 
within the town ; and, not long after dawn, beheld a 
sally-port near the water’s side throw;: open, and a pro- 
digious crowd of men, all of them mounted, pour forth. 
When I speak of a sortie, let me not be misunderstood. 
Never was there such a scene of confusion — for the 
men were all drunk — and tliey rode, some horses, some 
mules, and some asses, and, totally free from restraint, 
as if there had been no officer among tliem, they pushed 
towards our lines. Poor devils ! they were mowed 
down by hundreds ; for some of our gun-boats had con- 
cealed themselves under a sand-hill, so as at onee to be 
protected from the guns of the town, and themselves to 
command this road, and they threw in such a ceaseless 
shower of round grape and canister, that the carnage 
was dreadful. Those who did arrive within range of 
our infantry fire were all cut to pieces. The road was 
thus literally heaped with slain, insomuch that, if one 
half escaped within the gate to speak of the result of the 
movement, the multitude that came out must have been 
prodigious. 

Meanwhile we who were not employed in the 
trenches or in working parties, had plenty to do at the 
outposts. We were on duty almost every other night, 
and the Spaniards being very numerous, presented so 


THE HUSSAR. 


107 


bold a front, that our utmost vigilance was required to 
hold them in check. I’here was one piquet in particu- 
lar, at which on several occasions I found myself, 
where they proved singularly active. It was a deserted 
farm-house, with a sort of kraal or pen about two hun- 
dred yards in front of it — a square inclosure composed 
of the trunks of felled trees, and of considerable dimen- 
sions. The post in question was a serjcant’s piquet, 
having an officer’s guard on each flank of it — from one 
of which, indeed, commanded by a Captain — it was but 
a detatchment. I hud held it several times without 
meeting with any adventure, and had begun to question 
the fact of its peculiar difficulty, when the fool-hardiness 
of a thoughtless trooper brought on a crisis, which 
might have been attended with very serious conse- 
quences. 

The battery at the target mound had done its work 
so well that a breach was at length effected, and the 
enemy having rejected the terms that were offered for 
capitulation, the whole army knew that the hour of as- 
sault could not be fer distant. I took the command of 
the perilous piquet, on the morning of the day which 
we guessed would usher in the storm; because the 
slow firing both then and afterwards seemed to indicate, 
that, to keep the chasm clear of workmen, was all that 
was on our side desired. Moreover, it was communi- 
cated to us when marching off, that an unusual degree 
of vigilance would be necessary, inasmuch as there was 
reason to suspect an attempt on the part of the Spa- 
niards to raise the siege. Thus warned, I went to my 
post fully alive to the delicacy of my situation ; and so 
anxious was I that no accident should occur, that I had 
the only light, which it was esteemed prudent to burft 
within the house, shut up in a remote cloSet. One of 
my men, however, entertained ideas on this head wide- 
ly different from ray own, for scarcely was my back 
turned to visit the videttes after the night had set in, 
tlian he brought forth my candle, lighted about a dozen 


lOB 


THE HUSSAW, 


more, and distributed them through the house. The 
consequences ^vere not slow in displaying themselves. 
The enemy, creeping forward into the kraal, opened a 
fire of musketry upon the piquet, the first effect of 
which was to kill the eentinel, whose post lay nearest 
to the log fence. An alarm immediately spread through- 
out the line. For myself I hurried back, caused every 
light to be extinguished, and making my men mount, 
drew them op in such a position, as that they were 
clear from tlie line of fire; at the same time tliat they 
were ready to act with effect, should an effort be made 
to bring on a closer encounter. But after a useless 
fusilade, which was soon put a stop to, when a few of 
our men dismounting, stole with their carbines up to 
the kraal, the fire ceased, and the officers on the right 
and left, who had hurried to the spot, returned with 
easy minds to their own stations. 

About an hour elapsed after silence was restored, 
and we w’ere thinking of a return to the piquet-house, 
when an orderly from the rear came up with directions 
that the outposts should fail back. Silently and cau- 
tiously we drew in our videttes and formed by threes 
in a column, after which, giving the word in a half 
whisper, I put my men in motion. We soon fell in 
with and joined ourselves to the Captain’s piquet, upon 
which other detachments in like manner rallied ; and 
then all, at a slow pace, moved in a direction to cover 
the target-mound battery. Neither were we long left 
in doubt as to the object of this movement. The in- 
fantry were already under arms to assail the breach and 
it was our duty, as w'ell as the duty of their own re- 
serves, to guard the rear. 

It was still dark when we reached our halting 
ground, an elevation just sufficiently exalted to give us 
a complete view of the fort of Monte Video, which was 
about to be assaulted. There was no moon, but the 
stars were out in thousands ; while from time to time 
the enemy, as if in anticipation of what was going to 


THE HUSSAR. 


109 


happen, caused a splendid illumination of the breach, 
and the glacis beyond it, by a discharge of blue lights. 
Except the bursting of these fire-balls, however, there 
was no sound to break in upon the stillness of the night : 
for our batteries w :re mute, and those in the town, 
doubtless reserved their fire, till living objects should be 
presented, at which to direct them. Not long, however, 
was this state of things permitted to continue. There 
was a murmuring sound, as of men rising from the 
earth — then followed the measured tread of feet — and 
by and by the face of the town next us seemed to be on 
fire, with an incessant discharge of musketry and can- 
non. It is impossible by any language to convey an 
adequate representation of the scene on which I then 
gazed, or to describe my own feelings, or those of my 
comrades, as in breathless silence we waited tor the 
event. Minutes grew into hours, hours into ages, as 
the assailants pressed on to the breach; now gaining, 
now losing, as, we feared, their ground, while their 
shouts mingling with the roar of fire-arms, sounded 
awfully. But while we tlius held our breath, events 
were going on in a different quarter, of which we knew 
nothing. The 40th Regiment, led on by Colonel 
Brown, having been directed to threaten an escalade, 
converted the false attack into a real one ; and gaining 
the ramparts almost unopposed, pushed forward to the 
assistance of their comrades on the breach. Then 
could be distinguished the yell of the victors rising above 
every other sound ; while the light of burning houses 
made manifest the columns of red-jackets moving down 
into the streets. Yet was the victory far from being 
secured. Every street in the place was barricaded, 
and each barricade sustained one gun or more, the dis- 
charges from which cut down whole sections, and was 
not without difiiculty silenced. 

As I took no active part in this assault, 1 must not 
attempt to describe it. Let it suffice to state that the 
action was very gallantly sustained ; but that the in- 
VoL. 1. — K 


no 


I^E HUSSAR. 


domitable courage of the English, prevailing over every 
obstacle, the enemy at last laid down their arms, and 
the town was taken. The citadel, to be sure, still held 
out, and a powerful force was in our rear, which, had it 
advanced during the progress of the assault, ought to 
have destroyed us. But there was no disposition on the 
part of the enemy to risk another battle, and tlie gover- 
nor, conscious of his incapability to hold out, cared not 
to keep the citadel after the town had fallen. The con- 
sequence was, that by noon next day a white flag was 
hoisted, and Monte Video, with its harbour, works, and 
shipping, passed once more under the power of the 
English. In speaking of the shipping, I must indeed 
make one exception; for there was a French frigate in 
the roads whose commander would not submit. On the 
contrary, having loaded his guns, he set fire to a train 
that communicated with his powder magazine, and the 
ship blew up with a crash which shook the ground hke 
an earthquake. 

There occurred little during a space of some weeks, 
which were spent by us peaceably in Monte Video, of 
which it is necessary to take in this place any particular 
notice. The government was carried on under Sir 
Samuel Achmuty, with a mixture of vigour and mild- 
ness, which at once ensured the safety and won the res- 
pect of the natives ; while the troops enjoyed as much 
of leisure as was consistent with a regard to their own 
security and the maintenance of a proper discipline. 
A single act of perhaps necessary severity was indeed 
perpetrated in the place. I know not how far any dis- 
covery might have been effected of treasonable practices 
in contemplation ; but there came forth one morning an 
order that every house in the city should be searched 
for arms, and that all weapons, as well swords and dag- 
gers as muskets and pistols, should be removed on 
board of ship. I shall never forget the store of superbly 
mounted arms which that search brought to light. 
Fowling*pieces inlaid with gold and silver, pistols 


THE HUSSAR. 


Ill 


mounted In the most costl}' manner, swords and dag- 
gers having gold or silver handles, and in some in- 
stances, scabbards of the same material were gathered 
together in heaps, and transferred to the admiral’s ship. 
There was of course a good deal of murmuring among 
the parties thus deprived of their weapons, many of 
which had been valued as heirlooms in the families of 
the owners ; but the measure was, doubtless, dictated by 
a regard to self-preservation, otherwise, by a chief so 
humane and considerate, it never would have been en- 
forced. 

While the bulk of the army lay either in Monte 
Video itself or encamped in the vicinity, the outposts, 
both of horse and foot, were pushed forward in the 
direction of Buenos Ayres; the main body of the ad- 
vanced guard occupying the town of Los Pedros ; while 
the patrols extended from Canalon in a sort of Semi- 
circle as far as St Joseph. It so happened that the 
squadron to which I wafi attached took up its quarters 
in Canalon, a town or large village, in which is a hand- 
some church, with several houses that were occupied 
by families of wealth and consideration in the province. 
Nothing could exceed the degree of comfort which we 
enjoyed at this station. Before us, and on every side, 
the country was open and kvel, so that the approach of 
an enemy could be distinguished at any time, while his 
columns were yet some miles distant ; and as to pro- 
visions, there was a risk that our men would injure their 
health by eating to excess. For the vast pampas which 
spread around were covered with herds of cattle, the 
owners of which took so little account of them, that 
they slaughtered them by the score, for the sake of the 
hides and tallow- Of course, an army thrown into such 
a position, could not fail to fare well ; indeed the work 
of frying, and slewing, and rousting, and eating, went 
on so perpetually, that wc came in the end almost to 
loathe fresh beef, no matter how disguised in the dres- 
sing- Neither were vegetables, and especially onions 


112 


THE HUSSAR. 


wanting. In short, with a regular allowance of wine 
served out to us, and more to be had for purchase, and 
the choicest morsels taken day by day from a whole 
carcass we not only never knew what hunger was, but 
became profuse in our expenditure of victuals ; regular 
working parties being required to remove and bury the 
remains of animals which we could not consume after 
we had slaughtered them. 

I was by this time promoted to do the duty of -ser- 
jeant-major; consequently, I neither mounted piquet, 
nor had to look after the internal economy of my troop. 
My business, indeed, was over as soon as the reports 
were collected, and 1 had a great deal of time at com- 
mand. Nor did it make the slightest difference in my 
situation, whether we lay, as at first we did, under can* 
vas, or occupied, as was by and by considered expedient 
to do, quarters in the village itself. I was free to go 
where I chose, and do what I liked, so soon as parades 
were ended and states given in ; and having been always 
of an inquisitive temper, it was not very long before my 
search after novelty brought me into a peculiar and 
most interesting situation. Let the truth be spoken — 
I was weary of beef, and longed to diversify my food ; 
and 1 went forth one day on a cruise, of which it was 
the object to find either some new milk, or a gallinea, 
or fowl of any description. 1 had, of course, a haver- 
sack on my back — for your haversack is of most capa- 
cious swallow ; and all things, living or dead, that find 
their way within its laws, settle down, and are turned 
to account. Forth, then, I sallied, one morning, thus 
equiped; and having been often struck by the height 
and extent of a wall which surrounded, as I supposed, 
the demesne of some wealthy hidalgo, I turned my steps 
in that direction, and looked anxiously about for some 
means of ingress. I was fortunate enough at last to 
discover a low door, which proved, on trial, to be only 
on the latch, and which, opening to the pressure of my 
hand, admitted me at once within the sanctuary. I 


THE HUSSAR. 


113 


looked round, and saw a magnificent lawn, interspersed 
here and there with numerous flower-beds, about which 
clumps of trees of every description were collected with 
the greatest taste. Moreover, the mansion which ad- 
joined to these pleasure-grounds was on this side very 
striking. Like almost all other houses in the province 
of La Plata, it stood but one story from the ground, but 
a handsome colonade gave a finish to its architecture, 
and a grand flight of marble steps led up the glass doors 
by which it was entered. 

I was gazing with much admiration on the whole 
scene, not, I confess, without a hoj)e that for my haver- 
sack some store might be discovered, when an elderly 
lady, well dressed, according to the fashion of the coun- 
try, came forth and made me a low curtsey. I return- 
ed the salute as in duty bound, upon which she advanc- 
ed towards me, and in a tone of'great civility requested 
to be informed whether I was in search of any thing. 
I was ngt much of a Spaniard then — yet I understood 
enough of the language to assure her, that an idle 
curiosity had alone tempted me to intrede, and that the 
extreme beauty of the place must be my excuse for all 
that followed. She immediately begged me to come in, 
and offered to conduct me all over the grounds, after I 
had refreshed myself. The invitation was a great deal 
too agreeble to be declinec, so I followed her into a snug 
parlour, where sweet cakes, dried fruits, and some ex- 
cellent wine were soon served up. ' 

Having partaken sparingly of her good things, the 
lady became again my conductor, and led me into 
another room, where upon a sort of bed lay an elderly 
man, measuring at least six feet six inches in length, 
and of a solidity that was fearful to look upon. He la- 
boured then, and had laboured for some years, under a 
dropsy, which had swollen him to a size that was quite 
portentous, and rendered him so helpless, that, when 
moved at all, he was lifled by means of a crane from 
ins couch and placed in sitting posture, in a huge arm- 
K 2* 


114 


THE HUSSAR. 


chair. The hidalgo informed me that he was the owner 
of the mansion, and that he had several sons and daugh- 
ters though they were all resident in Buenos Ayres, 
and engaged me in a conversation, which to him, at 
least, proved so agreeable, that I was pressed to return 
and dine with them at five o’clock. This invitation, 
also, like that originally given by his Seigniora, I did 
not think it necessary to decline ; so I took my leave 
with a promise that I would be punctuahto the time ap- 
pointed. 

I returned to dine with my two friends, and found 
two guests besides myself — a young gentleman about 
sixteen or seventeen years of age, and an elderly lady. 
The evening passed pleasantly enough, for if I could 
not converse much I had an excellent appetite, and the 
viands served up were greatly to my mind. Moreover, 
if to me the day ’s adventure had proved acceptable, there 
were others who seemed to be at least as well pleased 
with it. Not only my dropsical host and his wife, but 
the youth became greatly attached to me, and insisted 
that I should accompany him to his mother’s house, and 
be introduced to her and to his sister. I went accord- 
ingly next day, and out of that introduction events, to 
me, of no trival moment arose. 

The young man who thus pressed his friendship upon 
me was called Antonio de Mendosa. His father was 
dead, and he lived with his mother and sister, in one of 
the best houses in Canalon. They were wealthy people, 
and very much respected ; for I found constantly at the 
table the rector of the parish, the vicar, the alcalde, and 
all the principal dignataries of the place. Every thin^ 
around them, likewise, bore testimony to the indepen- 
dence of their condition. They had a numerous retinue 
of slaves. Their table was both bountiful and elegant, 
and all their habits were those of persons who have 
enough and to spare, without being obliged to labour. 
Their hospitality, too, especially towards myself, was 
boundless. I could not be with them too much; I 


THE HUSSAR. 


115 


could not accept their invitations too frequently ; nay, 
young Antonio seemed dctermened that I should live 
with them altogether ; for if I was not in his mother’s 
house, he was sure to be with me , indeed, there were 
times, when, but for his great gentleness and the devo- 
tion which he expressed towards me, I should have felt 
his presence as a restraint, for not even at stable-hour 
could I shake him off. Nevertheless, the lounge was, 
to me, an exceedingly agreeable one ; though, by and 
by, the acquaintance took a shape, which put me ta un- 
common embarrassment and difficulties. 

I have stated that besides the mother and son there 
was a daughter in the house. Donna Maria Eusepha 
de Mendoza, a beautiful creature, about eighteen years 
of age, Mid very highly accomplished. She played the 
|iarpsichord and sang sweetly, she was singularly win- 
ning and gentle in her manners, and altogather appear- 
ed to take so much delight in my company, that it 
would have been extraordinary had I proved insensible 
to her merits. For it was one of her chief amusements 
to teach me the Spanish language, not only asin conver- 
sation, but by writing ; and as I copied her lessons and 
gained from day to day an increased command of the 
idioms, her joy seemed to enlarge itself. Moreover, the 
gentlemen who frequented her mother’s table appeared 
to encourage her in her predilection for me, a circum- 
stance which may, perhaps, be in part attributed to the 
following cause. 

The Spaniards had no love for the English. They 
despised them as unbelievers, and hated them as rob- 
bers and plunderers. Now I was not an Englishman, 
and the first time I was questioned respecting the place 
of my birth, I had told the truth — nay more. I com- 
municated to the priest a great deal of information as 
to the geographical position and ancient history of the 
Rhenish provinces ; which being new to them set them 
on the search, among all tlie books which they could 
command, for a confirmation or contradiction of my 


116 


THE HUSSAR. 


statements. I was not aware of this fact till one day 
at dinner, the rector produced a volume and a chart, the 
former of which bore me out in all that I had told him 
while on the latter he was able to trace the situation of 
each town. From that hour, I was in his eyes, and in 
the eyes of others who took their cue from him, every- 
thing that was excellent. The Germans were noble 
people, great things had been done 'by them; they 
were a trustworthy people, they were superior to all 
other people in Europe. In a word, priests and ladies, 
the alcalde and notary public all became my friends, and 
all expressed their desire to see me happy and res- 
pected. 

Things went on thus for some time, Maria and I 
taking our walks together in the garden, and the old 
lady praying when we came in that all the saints in the 
calendar would bless us. Still we had dealt as yet only 
in general expressions, for though I admired the girl 
and liked her ways, I was not in love ; though at each 
successive visit, the tone of my friends became more 
confidential, and at last the truth came out. The old 
lady proposed that I should marry her daughter, and 
quit the English service. She told me that one of her 
brothers, commanded a regiment of cavalry in Buenos 
Ayres, in which her eldest son was a captain ; and that 
if I would wed Maria, and flee with her to the capital, 
she would undertake to get me a commission in the 
same corps. I treated the proposal half in jest and half 
in earnest, expressing my great admiration of her 
daughter, but objecting to her proposition, my own 
poverty, and the risk which I should run if I deserted. 
My poverty she scouted. They had abundance of 
wealth ; more than I should require all the days of my 
life, and as to being taken, that was impossible. For 
as soon as the cermony was over, would be guides to 
escort and carry us off, and all the pursuers in the world 
could never overtake us. I smiled, shook my head. 


THE .HUSSAR. 


117 


and said I would consider of it ; and for that day the 
subject dropped. 

From this time forth, and during several weeks, I 
was continually assailed, not only by the mother but 
by the priests, by Antonio, and even by Maria herself, 
to make her my wife. — The confidence which th^ re- 
posed in me, too, was wonderful; for not only was 
Maria with me alone at all hours, and in all places, but 
of their very riches they made a display to me. I thank 
God %hat I never wronged the girl, nor polluted myself 
by accepting a bribe, though the temptations to both of- 
fences were very great, as may be seen by the following 
statement. One morining the old lady and I had as 
usual been arguing the point of the marriage, and I 
again made the objection of my own poverty ; asking 
her, how both she and I would feel should I, a stranger 
in Buenos Ayres, fail to find employment, and prove in- 
capable of supporting Maria in the style to which she 
was accustomed ? 

“ Come with me,’* replied the old lady, “ you seem to 
doubt that we have money enough for your purposes as 
well as our own. Come with rne and be convinced. I 
would not treat an Englishman so, but with a German, 
and especially with you, I feel that I am safe.” 

So saying, she led me into a back parlour, in the 
floor of which was a trap-door, on descending a stair 
from which, I found myself in a cellar, well stocked 
with the wines of every country and almost every vin- 
tage. The old lady carried a lamp, by the light of 
which I observed two ponderous iron chests, each of 
which was fastened by three locks. The largest of 
these she opened first, and its contents were, services of 
massive silver plate, dishes, candlesticks, plates, coffee- 
pots, spoons, forks, knives, everything, in short, that 
could be required to set out a table for half a hundred 
persons. She then opened the other ; and I saw in 
one corner a pile of doubloons, on the other side heaps 


118 


THE HUSSAR. 


^ of dollars, and tlie intermediate space accupied with ves- 
sels of pure gold. 

“ Now,” said the old lady, “ put in your hands, and 
take as many of the doubloons as you can lift.” 

“ No,” said I, “ you have treated me as your friend 
and guest ; I cannot and will not rob you of your pro- 
perty.” 

She pressed me very much ; but I continued firm, 
and we returned to the rooms above. The rest of that 
day I spent as usual with my friends, and retired at 
night to my own quarters, not without some serious 
misgivings as to the wisdom of the determination at 
which I had arrived touching the proffered alliance. 


THB HUSSAR. 


no 


CHAPTER XL 

MY AFFAIR GOES ON AND COMES OFF TO MY OWN LIK- 
ING, BUT 1 AM NOT SO POR'^UNATE IN OTHER RES- 
PECTS. 

I SOON learned that the old lady had communicated 
to the priests the result of our visit to the cellar ; and if 
I had teen in favour with them before, I became now 
more a favourite than ever. To me, as often as I met 
them at table, all the conversation was addressed ; nor 
did there seem to be any end to the questions relative to 
the English church, and the English army. — Respect- 
ing the former, I gave the family all the information 
which I myself possessed ; respecting the latter, I was 
much more reserved j for I did not know what use they 
might make of my statements, so I made them as 
vague and general as could be. StilHhey continued to 
treat me with a degree of kindness which became, at 
times, somewhat oppressive ; and excited in me an ap- 
prehension lest my officers should suspect me of holding 
improper intercourse with the enemy. From Donna 
Maria, however, I never received aught except proofs of 
the most confiding tenderness. She too spoke to me 
about my religion ; and I so far complied with her 
wishes as to accompany her every Sunday to church. 
But when she alluded to our marriage, I always treated 
the subject as a joke, even while I professed to hold her 
image in my heart I remember one event, occurring 
about this time, which amused me at the moment, and 
has often caused me to smile since. 

One of the first inquiries of my kind iriends, after I 
made their acquaintance, was touching my name, which 
I gave them ; and which they, according to the pronun- 
ciation of the country, called Norterto. Signor Nor- 
berto soon became every thing with them, especially 


120 


THE HUSSAR. 


with Maria, who appeared to find some positive pleasure 
in pronouncing the words. Now it came to pass one 
evening, that wliile I was strolling with her as usual in 
the garden, she said, with one of her most charming 
smiles, that I must grant her one request. I promised 
compliance, of course, provided compliance were possi* 
ble, and she began. 

“ You know, Norberto, that the rainy season is at 
hand, and that it will be necessary very soon to accom- 
plish our flight to Buenos Ayres, lest the rain stop us. 
One thing, however, must be done, ere we join our fates. 
You must make some presents to the Virgin, and she 
will take us for ever under her protection.” 

I laughed, and expressed my perfect readiness to 
make the Virgin a present, provided she would tell me 
what was likely to prove acceptable; for the Virgin 
could not make use of money, and I had nothing else 
to give. 

“ Oh yes, you have,” answered Maria, “ there is the 
silver tassel on your cap ; it will just do to form a fringe 
for the Virgin’s petticoat.” 

It may be necessary to observe, that in a sort of 
sanctuary within the house, was an altar, on which 
stood various saints ; and among others the Virgin, and 
a male saint who was nameless. The tassel, too, of 
which the Virgin had become covetous, had just so 
much of a history attached to it, as requires explana- 
tion. It was not a regimental tassel, but an ornament 
for my helmet, which I had recently purchased of the 
quarter-master at the price of three pounds, and still 
held, because it was quite new, in high estimation. My 
gallantry was thus put to a severe test, for on the one 
hand I had no wish to part with my finery ; on the 
other I did not know how to refuse my enamorata. — 
As invariably happens in such cases, the lady’s will 
prevailed. I put my helmet into her hand ; she stripped 
it of its rich trimming, and carr)ring me along with 
her, hung it up, garland-wise, before the Virgin. But 


THE HUSSAR. 


121 


this was not all. So delighted was the old lady with 
my pious otihring, that she called her nameless saint 
after me ; and there he probably stands, to this hour, 
with a perpetual lamp burning beside him, and a scroll 
beneath, on which are inscribed the words, “ Saint Nor- 
berto.” 

Surrounded by such delights, and worked upon per- 
petually by such allurements, I should have been some- 
thing more or less than human if 1 had not so far wa- 
vered in my duty, as to spend many a sleepless hour at 
night in weighing the advantages against the disadvan- 
tages of the course of proceeding which my Spanish 
friends suggested. As to the hazard of being retaken, 
that I well knew was a mere bugbear. Disguised in 
the dress of a Spanish gentleman, and attended by a 
skilful guide, I could have easily given my comrades 
the slip, and laughed at their efforts to follow, but there 
were other points to be considered as well as that. In 
the first place my own heart rebelled against the thought 
of committing an act of such treachery. A deserter is 
a character which we Germans hold in contempt ; and 
I could not endure the idea of incurring even self-con- 
demnation. In the next place, suppose I were to marry 
this girl, — if the English succeeded in conquering the 
country, where was I ? if they failed, I must become 
an exile to the land of my birth for ever. On the other 
hand, there was the sure prospect of at least an inde- 
pendence ; and probably of promotion in the Spanish 
army ; while Maria herself, though as I have already 
slated, by no means the queen of my soul, was just 
such a person as it was impossible to associate with, 
without becoming aware that she possessed strong 
claims upon your regard. When I acknowledge, 
therefore, that my firmness sometimes threatened to 
give way, I shall not, I trust, lay myself open to any 
very grave charge; for never has man prayed more 
earnestly than I did then, that Providence would in 
some way or other release me from my difficulties. 

VoL. r— L 


122 


THE HUSSAR. 


Such was rny condition up to passion week, in 1807, 
exposed every day to temptations which it required all 
ray philosophy to resist, and sometimes attempted to 
quarrel with philosophy, because it refused to be over- 
come. The arrival of the bishop in our village, and 
the performance of all the ceremonies which in Roman 
Catholic countries ^ive effect to the season, in no way 
relieved me. I was still a constant guest at Signora de 
Mendoza’s table ; and I acquired more favour both in 
her eyes and in the eyes of her ghostly counsellors, be- 
cause I commanded the firing party, which our com- 
manding officer lent tliern, to assist in the celebration of ' 
high mass. But that which bishops and priests could 
not effect, a movement in advance by (he enemy’s ar- 
my promised to accomplish. Rumours began to be cir- 
culated that our post would soon be attacked, and the 
coming up from the rear of about three hundred infan- 
try, gave to them a confirmation. Neither had we been 
misled. At an early hour one morning, about two 
thousand Spanish horse showed themselves in front of 
the videttes, and driving them in, forced back the pi- 
quets also towards the village, in front of which we 
were drawn up, with our guns unlimbered and our in- 
fantry supporting us. The skirmish which ensued is 
not worth describing, for it produced no results. As 
long as we were content to play at long bowls the ene- 
my sustained their fire ; but no sooner did we make a 
motion to charge either with cavalry or infantry, than 
they broke and fled in all rirections. Thus, for about 
two hours we continued to annoy one another, they 
striving to outflank us, and we constantly driving them 
away, till at last they retreated, very little loss having 
been sustained an eitlier side. They had, I believe, one 
or two killed, and perhaps half a dozen wounded ; 
whereas our casualties amounted to no more than two 
men hurt. Nevertheless, the reconnoissance (for such 
it was) indicated among them a degree of activity 
which they had not heretofore displayed ; and Sir Samu- 


THE HUSSAR. 


123 


el Achmuty judged it expedient to make some changes 
in his dispositions. 

We had resumed our old habits, and I was, as before, 
in constant communication with the Mendozas, wlicn I 
found one nigtit, on my return to my quarters, that the 
route was come, and that we were to proceed at dawn 
for St. Joseph, distant two full days’ march from Cana- 
lon. Never was route better timed than this for me ; 
for it left no leisure for discussion over night, and gave 
scarce a moment when day-light appeared to say fare- 
well ; indeed the promise of a speedy return was yet 
upon my lips when the trumpet sounded, and I tore 
myself from Maria’s embrace. I never saw cither 
her or her hospitable dwelling afterwards ; but not till 
my dying day will her amiable qualities be forgotten ; 
or the confidence which the whole family, herself in- 
cluded, reposed in my honour, cease to be remembered 
with gratitude. From Antonio, however, I was not 
yet destined to shake myself free. So strong was the 
youth’s attachment, that he mounted his horse and ac- 
companied me all the way to St. Joseph, introducing 
me, at each halting place, to the gentlemen of the 
country, and obtaining for me the kindest treatment. 

We had been relieved at Canalon by a portion of the 
17th, we relieved a portion of the 17 th at St. Joseph ; 
and passed our time, for several weeks; agreeably 
enough ; having no enemy to harass us, and very little 
duty to perform. The confidence which is produced 
by the absence of danger is not, however, unapt to de- 
generate into carelessness; and by two of our officers 
a mistake was committed at St. Joseph, which caused 
some trouble to the whole detachment, and to me was 
the source of much suffering. These gentlemen, one 
of whom was the doctor, were in the habit of riding 
every day, to an estantia, or settlement, considerably in 
advance of our videttes, and amusing themselves in the 
society of tlie farmer’s daughters. It happened on a 
certain occasion that they lingered too long with their 


124 


THE HUSSAR. 


Dulcineas*; whose father had given notice to his coun- 
trymen of what was going forward; and that they 
found themselves, when about to depart, surrounded by 
an armed force, and made prisoners. To inarch them 
off on the road to Buenos Ayres was of course the duty 
of the captors, while the farmer prudently resolved to 
guard against the danger of punishment, by reporting 
the accident at head quarters, so soon as the captives 
and their guards should have had a sufficient start. It 
was, therefore, profoundly dark when he arrived at St. 
Joseph, with intelligence of the misfortune that had oc- 
curred. The rain came down in torrents ; nevertheless, 
the trumpets sounded to horse; and all the cavalry, sup- 
ported by a body of riflemen, were sent in pursuit. 

I had the rear guard that night, and as you could not 
see your horses head befare you, I strove to preserve my 
communication with the main body by means of a file 
of men and a corporal. Neither did any accident be- 
fall for some time. There was no road of course — 
there are indeed very few roads in that country — but 
we had guides who led us over the wet turf and through 
a rapid, but narrow river towards a farm-house, where 
our spies told us that the fugitives might be expected fo 
pass the night. I followed with my rear-ground as far 
as the stream, safely enough, and crossed it ; but some- 
how or other I there lost the track. Being ignorant of 
my mistake, I rode on, keeping a few paces ahead of 
my men, till, all at once, my horses’ feet slipped from 
beneath him, and we went rolling one over another in- 
to a gravel pit. It was well for me that the soil 
chanced to be a soft sand ; for I fell flat to the ground, 
and my horse getting his hind and fore legs entangled 
in the bridle-rein, lay, heels upward, with the pommel 
of the saddle right across my chest. He could not 
move an inch, neither could I, so there was nothing 
for it but to cry aloud, and warn my comrades of their 
danger. They pulled up, threw themselves to the 
ground, moved about and about till they discovered a 


THE HUSSAR. 


125 


means of descending, and extricating the horse from- 
his awkward position, set both him and his rider free. 

I shook myself, and found that no bones were broken, 
upon which I mounted again, and we resumed our 
march, as well as the pitchy darkness of the night, and 
an incessant fall of the heaviest rain, would permit. — 
But 1 need scarcely add, we did not recover our officers • 
— the enemy were by far too active for that — therefore, 
we halted at the house till the light of day came back, 
and retraced our steps, chop-fallen and weary, to St. Jo- 
seph’s. 

From the effects of my fall, and the severe wetting 
that accompanied it, I did not recover for months. 1 
grew stiff and cramped — the sinews of my back and 
legs shrank, and I was in excrutiating agony. It was, 
therefore, necessary to send me to the rear; and the 
medical attendant at Los Pedros being none of the best, 
no progress was made towards my recovery. Under 
such circumstances, the captain of my troop, to w'hose 
kindness I was at all times much indebted, advised me 
to return to Mopte Video, and to put myself under the 
care of the staff-officers, by whom the business of the 
general hospital was carried on. I took his advice, but 
no good came of it. I was still bent double, and every 
effort to raise myself upright put me to the sharpest 
torture. There seemed, therefore, no other resource, 
than to pass muster among otner invalids, and to em- 
bark for England. But the gentleman at the head of 
our medical department, though he gave me my choice, 
advised me not to take this step. 

“^Trust yourself to me,” said he, after he had stripped 
and examined me somewhat roughly, “I’ll cure you if 
any body can and he w'as as good as his word. By 
the use of hot baths, and bleeding, and starving, he re- 
duced me to a shadow, but gave nie back the use of my 
limbs, and as much vigour of mind and body as ever. 
He told me to thank him for a cure, which the neglect 
L2 


126 


THE HUSSAR, 


of ship-board would have rendered impossible; and as 
I did so at the moment, so I continue to do still. 

I had no part in the fatal attack upon Buenos Ayres. 
While I lay in the hospital at Monte Video, General 
Whitlock arrived, and signalized his coming, by turn- 
ing Sir Samuel Achrnuty most unceremoniously out of 
his quarters. I was scarcely convalescent when he 
came back from the interior, a defeated and a humbled 
man. He was said to be a harsh officer, — he was un- 
questionably an unfortunate one, and the only time I 
saw him, his expression of face denoted that he was 
very unhappy. As far as I was concerned, however, 
his appearance on the stage had no other effect than to 
restore me sooner, than might have otherwise taken 
place, to the delights of home. For on the sixth of 
September, I being again fit for duty, the whole army 
embarked, and on the seventh our fleet weighed anchor 
to abandon the Plata. I need not dwell upon the home- 
ward passage, with its varieties of calm and storm, 
cloud and sunshine. Enough is done when I state, that 
after separating from the convoy, and being in im- 
minent danger of foundering, the ship in which I 
sailed, together with a single consort, reached the chan- 
nel; that we, going round by the back of the Isle of 
Wight, arrived safely in Portsmouth harbour, whereas, 
our companions preferring the Needles, were wrecked ; 
and that the two squadrons of the 20th, now reduced to 
a skeleton, proceeded for the purposes of being recruited 
and reorganized, to Guilford barracks. 

Before I pass from this subject to other and more 
stirring narrations, I may be permitted, perhaps, to say 
a few words concerning some of the habits and cus- 
toms, to which, in South America, I was a witness. 

The climate, in the provinces of the river Plata, is, 
perhaps, one of the most agreeable in the world. Not 
even in the dog-days are you oppressed by excessive 
heat, for there is always a breeze tliat blows from the 
eastward, or else, when the rain has allayed it for a 


THE HUSSAR. 


127 


awhile, there comes a thunder-storm, of which the im- 
mediate effect is to clear the atmosphere and moderate 
the temperature. Moreover, there are no mountains to 
intercept the current of air, nor forests to condense and 
accumulate vapours. In winter, likewise, the cold is 
seldom so severe as to produce even a coat of the thin- 
nest ice, and, as for rain, that falls from lime to titne 
heavily enough, but the proportion of moist to dry 
weather is quite inconsiderable. Indeed, it is one of 
the gravest grounds of complaint against the govern- 
ment of Old Spain, that by the excessive shortsighted- 
ness of its system, this, which might have been render- 
ed one of the most fruitful regions of the earth, was, 
when I sojourned there, utterly barren, except in cattle. 

I found upon inquiry that, not only were neither 
grapes nor olives cultivated there, but that there were 
public functionaries, whose business it was to prevent 
the growth of these useful plants, and to discourage 
the manufacture both of wine and oil. I learned, too, 
that for their very wheat the people of the Plata pro- 
vinces were indebted to Old Spain ; that their fruit came 
chiefly from the same quarter, and that all their manu- 
factured goods, if not of Spanish growth, paid an en 
ormous tax on their transit through Cadiz. Had it not 
been for the extraordinary fertility of their cattle, indeed, 
their condition would have been deplorable enough. — 
But these, wandering over the extensive pampas, in- 
creased so rapidly that nobody could guess from 
year to year of how many he might be possessed ; 
while the abundance of food which was thereby at the 
command of all classes, tended not a little to foster and 
increase the constitutional indolence by which all seem- 
ed to be affected. A native of the district through which 
the Plata flows, would not on any account whatever sub- 
ject himself to personal labour or fatigue. If he has 
to pass from door to door, he always does so on horse- 
back; and so admirable is the training of their active 
steeds, that some of them will stand for four-and-twen- 


128 


THE HUSSAR. 


ty hours on the same spot, provided the rider take the 
precaution to draw his bridle over the animal’s head, 
and cast it on the ground. 

The manner in which these South Americans catch 
tlie wild cattle by means of the lasso, is well known. — 
There are, however certain seasons of the year, when 
this process which is pursued only when a bull or cow 
is wanted for a particular purpose, would not sulFice, and 
then a different device is resorted to. When the period 
approaches at which their hides must be prepared for 
export, the Argentines (for so the people call them- 
selves) drive enormous herds of cattle within kraals or 
inclosures, which being surrounded by strong palisades, 
have an opening at one side of sufficient width to 
permit the passage of one beast, and only one at a lime. 
This is palisaded on both sides, and cut off from the 
rest of the kraal by a sort of portcullis, while above 
is a stage, on which stands a man armed with a sharp 
knife, and well skilled by practice in the use of it. As 
soon as the kraal is filled, they raise the portcullis. — 
One bullock passes into the covered way, and the 
portcullis falls behind him, while almost at the same 
moment tbe tauridor, stationed above thrusts his wea- 
pon into the animal’s spine, and kills him on the spot. 
The carcass is immedidiately dragged off by horses, 
skinned, and left to cumber the earth, till perhaps some 
hundreds are disposed of, and the compliment of hides 
procured ; for of the carcassess no account is on such 
occasions taken. They become a prey to the birds of 
the air and the beasts of the field— creatures of almost 
every description, as well domestic as wild, scenting out 
the banquet, and repairing to it in troops. 

The sheep in this country are not good, but the 
horses are excellent, particularly those of Chile, which 
the people very highly esteem. They are almost all jet 
black, and very beautiful. As to t!ie furniture, I need 
not describe it. Long bridle-reins richly inlaid with 
silver, large silver stirrups, saddles with very high peaks 
and croups, and gorgeous head-stalls — all these indicate 


THE HUSSAR. 


129 


both the wealth of the rider and the estimation in 
which he holds his steed : while enormous spurs and 
bits of the severest kind, imply that he is prepared, in 
case of a controversy, to support his own views, by 
arguments which few horses can resist. 

The people of La Plata are after their own fashion, 
prodigious gastronomists. Their favourite dish, and 
an exceedingly delicious one it is, consists of a portion 
of the rump of an ox, roasted, or rather baked, in the 
hide, which is fastened round the morsel with such ex- 
cellent care, that not a drop of the gravy escapes. The 
beef of the country is, in general excellent, far surpassing 
in flavour, if not in fatness, our stall-fed oxen. But the 
portions of it that are dressed in this manner would 
gladden the heart of the most conservative alderman, 
either in London or elsewhere. 

There is not much smoking among the ladies of the 
Plata river, who, on the contrary, consume their leisure 
time in sipping a beverage called Mate, or the essence 
of the Paraguay herb. It resembles, when prepared 
for use, chopped hay, and they prepare it in little cups, 
made of cocoanut-shells, mounted, generally in silver, 
and covered by a lid, much as we do our tea, by pouring 
boiling water over it. Their mode of drinking it is 
this: — A small silver pipe is introduced,' something like 
a cigar-tube, througli which they suck up as much as 
they may require, and then they pass it from hand to 
hand to be dealt with in the same manner by their 
friends. It is curious enough that the people, who are 
thus free with the pipe, which they use in consuming 
their Mate should be particularly tenacious of your 
touching with your mouth another vessel out of which 
they drink in common. This is a glass dec/nter with 
a crooked pipe, which contains wine or lemonade, and 
out of which they pour the liquor into their mouths, 
holding the tube two or three inches above their lips. — 
The stranger who unwittingly applies the tube to his 
mouth is regarded as a boor, and the tube itself is im- 
mediately broken off. 


130 


THE HUSSAU. 


CHAPTER XII. 

I GO WITH SIR ARTHUR WEI.LESLEY’s FORCE TO PORTUGAL, 

AND WITNESS THE AFFAIR OF ROLI9A. AN ADVENTURE 

ON PIQUET. 

There occurred nothing during our stay at Guilford, 
nor, indeed, for some time afterwards, of which it is 
worth while to take particular notice. Recruits came 
in rapidly ; and in training these, and breaking young 
horses, and discharging the common duties of home 
service, some months passed away. We changed our 
quarters, to be sure, more than once — moving from 
Guilford to Clochestcr, and from Clochester to South- 
ampton ; but nither our marches to and fro, nor our 
halts, whether of longer or shorter duration, produced 
one adventure of sufficient importance to remain upon 
my memory. At, last, however, in the month of July, 
1808 , there came an order that we should hold our- 
selves in readiness for foreign service; and we soon 
afterwards marched to Portsmouth, where the two 
sqadrons embarked, together with some infantry and 
artillery, on board of ships that lay ready to receive 
them. 

We sailed with sealed orders, as far as the Cove of 
Cork, whence an expedition, under the command of Sir 
Arthur Wellesley, was preparing to set out, nobody 
knew whither. There we lay about a fortnight, at the 
termination of which period a magnificent squadron put 
to sea, amid the cheers of the troops, the playing of 
bands, and in a state of weather which held out every 
promise of an agreeable voyage. Neither did dame 
Fortune play us false in this respect, for no storms 
overtook us, nor were we compelled, either by negli- 
gence or accident, to separate, even for a moment, from 
our consorts. Still we were all in doubt as to our 


THE HUSSAR 


131 


place of destination, till a signal from the commodore’s 
ship directed us to steer for Mondego bay, wherein due 
time the fleet was assembled. Here, then, it was evident 
enough that our campaigning would begin ; and never 
could men be in better heart to enter upon it than we 
were at the moment. 

The shores of Mondcgo bay are open and shelving, 
so as to produce, when the winds blow fresh, a heavy 
surf; and it so happened that we brought with us to 
our anchorage just enough of a breeze to render the 
task of disembarkation a difficult one. Several boats 
were upset, and out of the infantry corps which landed 
first, some men were lost, though I believe that the 
casualties were not numerous. But for us, we suffered 
nothing. We were directed to stand upright in the 
boats, with bridle in hand and prepared, in case of any 
accident, to spring into the saddle; a judicious precau- 
tion, which proved in two or three instances eminently 
useful. One punt capsized upon the surf, but no lives 
were lost, because the horses sometimes swimming, 
sometimes wading, carried their riders ashore. We 
then formed upon the beach, and carrying each man 
his three days’ provisions,’ ready cooked, pushed for- 
ward to a village, the name of which I have forgotten, 
and there took up our quarters. 

It is well known that the disembarkation of the 
army, with the arrangement of the commissariat and 
other measures requisite to pat it in motion occupied 
the space betwen the 1st of August and the evening of 
the 8th. On the 9 th we marched to Lyria where, on 
the 1 1th, the main body joined us ; and on the 13th, 
the whole were as far on the road to Lisbon as Batalhah. 
There had been some firing in front more than once, 
though nothing to excite alarm ; especially at a village 
called Brilos, where our riflemen sustained some loss. 
But it was not till we reached Obidos, if I recollect 
right, on the 15th that we saw anything of the enemy ; 
nor, indeed, had we any sharp controversy with them 


132 


THE HUSSAR. 


then. They were in possession of the town when we 
arrived in front of it, and presented a countenance so 
formidable, as to excite in us the expectation of a stout 
resistance ; but they did not think fit to make a stand. 
As we drew on, they fell back, and we found ourselves, 
almost without the expenditure of a shot, masters of 
the place. Nevertheless, the struggle, though deferred 
for a few hours, was close at hand; and on the 17th, as 
every reader of history is aware, the battle of Roli<;a 
was fought. 

Though it is not my business to detail the move- 
ments of the armies, nor to advert to subjects that have 
by better authorities been amply discussed already, yet 
I shall probably succeed in carrying the reader’s attention 
along with iiie, if I endeavour to record such events as 
made the deepest impression upon my own.mind at tlie 
moment, as well as to describe what passed under my 
own immediate eye, both in the enemy’s presence and 
and elsewhere. In the first place, then, it is necessary 
to state, that from a very early period after our landing, 
detachments of Portuguese cavalry came in, by fours 
and fives, to join us ; some led on by an officer, others 
acting, as it seemed, under their own guidance. They 
were remarkably fine-looking men ; well clothed, well 
armed, and well mounted, and composed, as they in- 
formed us, a portion of the Lisbon Police — the most 
efficient cavalry force in the kingdom. These the 
General attached to our two squadrons ; and so strong 
was the friendship which soon arose among us, that our 
officers were never without the company of the Portu- 
guese officers, nor our men separated fVom their men, 
either at meals or during the hours of relaxation. On 
the morning of the 17th, we had about two troops, or 
one squadron, in the camp ; and their appearance was 
such as to make us well pleased with the addition 
which they made our otherwise feeble force. In the 
next place, I am compelled to admit, that we had no 
share whatever in the glories of Roli 9 a. The enemy, 


THE HUSSAR. 


133 


occupying a position on the ridge of some steep heights 
could not be approached, except by infantry, and we 
stood, in consequence, in a valley, watching the advance 
of our comrades, whose onset was as cool and deter- 
mined as tlie most anxious could have wished. For- 
ward they went, in long narrow columns, forcing their 
way among rocks and underwood, and suffering severe- 
ly by a heavy fire, to which their order prevented them 
from making any effectual return ; till, having won 
the crest of the hill, they wheeled into line and carried 
all before them. It was a magnificent spectacle, the 
general effect of which was much brightened by the 
peculiar beauty of the day — for the sun shone bright 
and till the roar of cannon and musketry dispelled it, 
the silence was profound. 

We had watched the progress of the battle for some 
time, without sustaining any injury, except from a 
single shell, which, burst ng over our column, sent a 
fragment through the backbone of a troop-horse, and 
killed him on the spot — when a cry arose, “ The 
cavalry to the front !” and we pushed up a sort of hal- 
lowed road towards the top of the ridge before us. — 
Though driven from their first position, the enemy, it 
appeared, had rallied, and showing a line both of horse 
and foot, were preparing to renew the fight. Now, our 
cavalry were altogether incapable of coping with that of 
the French; and the fact became abundantly manifest, 
so soon as our leading files gained the brow of the hill 
— for the slope of a rising ground opposite was covered 
with them in such numbers, as to render any attempt 
to charge, on our parts, utterly ridiculous. According- 
ly, we were directed to form up, file by file, as each 
emerged from the road — not in two ranks, as is usually 
done both on parade and in action — but in rank entire. 
Moreover, we were so placed, that the French officers 
could not possibly tell what was behind us; and thus 
made a show which appeared to startle them ; for they 
soon began to change their dispositions, the infantry 

VoL. I.— M 


134 


THE HUSSAR. 


moving off first, the cavalry following ; upon which W0 
likewise broke again into column of threes, and rode 
slowly after them. But we had no desire to overtake 
them. They therefore pursued their march unmolested, 
except by a few discharges of cannon ; and we, after 
seeing them fairly under weigh, halted on the field of 
battle. 

We passed that night, the infantry in bivouac, the 
cavalry in the village of Zambugeira, without the oc- 
currence of any adventure; and on the 18th marched 
to a place called Lourinha, where more of the Lisbon 
Police joined us. The 19th carried us into the position 
of Vimiero, and reinforced us by a division of infantry 
under Brigadier General Anstruther. As I have my 
own tale to tell of the operation at this place, it may be 
permitted me to preface it by such a description of the 
ground, as may assist the reader in comprehending the 
narrative which is about to be submitted to him. 

The English army took up its ground upon two 
ranges of hills, between which was a valley, having the 
village of Vimiero close under a rising eminence, on the 
top of which was a windmill. A rivulet, called the 
Maceira, ran round one of these heights, and passing to 
the rear of our camp, fell into the sea. Our position 
was a good one, for it commanded a full view of every 
road by which an enemy could approach ; and though 
extensive, seemed, at least to my unpractised eye, very 
capable of defence. Here, then, we lay, the infantry 
communicating, from brigade to brigade, along the 
banks and ridges — the artillery and cavalry in the 
valley — while the piquets, under General Fane, took 
post on the slope of the ascent, and faced the roads to 
Torres Vedras and Lisbon. It is worthy of remark 
that General Fane, by whom the advanced guard was 
commanded, pitched his tent in front of the cavalry out- 
posts, so that between him and the enemy, should a 
sudden attack be made, there was no other force than 
the videttes. 


THE HUSSAR, 


135 


I was ordered for piquet on the evening of the 20th, 
and repairing to my post, found the General mounted, 
and ready to lead us forth on a reconnoitering expedi- 
tion. His object was to make us thoroughly acquaint- 
ed with the localities in our front ; so that, in pushing 
our patrols at night, from point to point, we should incur 
no risk of falling into error. Accordingly, he carried 
the whole of the piquet along with him, including 
Lieutenant Burgoyne in command, and conducted us 
along the road for about two miles, till we reached a 
chapel, made of bright red brick, and thence called by 
us familiarly the Red Chapel. Here he halted us for a 
few minutes, and pointing out that we could thence 
command a full view of the sloping plain beneath, he 
told us that our patrols ought on no account to venture 
further. Nevertheless, as it was yet broad day, he de- 
termined to push on to a village about half a mile in 
advance, and ascertain from the inhabitants whether 
they had received any intelligence of the enemy’s move- 
ments. 

We followed General Fane, of course, and descending 
into the plain, moved on in a compact body, till we 
reached a point where three roads meet. We separated 
here, and passing, some by one flank, others by another, 
and a third party in the centre, we swept round the 
village, and ascertained that it was deserted. One man 
jJone, indeed, continued to occupy his dwelling, and he 
was an innkeeper from whom we received a slight re- 
freshment of food and wine ; after which we rode back 
again. The General now dismissed us to our duty, 
and retiring himself with'n his tent, we saw for awhile 
no more of him. Neither was any alarm given, nor 
the slightest stir made, till about ten o’clock when the 
first patrol was ordered to mount, and go forth in quest 
of intelligence. It was my business, as senior serjeant, 
to take the commrnd of this patrol — and I have never 
ceased to look back upon the circumstance as one of 
the most fortunate in my military life. 


136 


THE HUSSAR, 


The patrol, consisting- of twelve men and a corporal, 
besides myself, mounted and took the road as soon as I 
had received my instructions. These were, to move very 
slowly to the front, keepings every eye and ear on the 
alert, till we should reach the Red Chapel — not to en- 
gage an enemy’s patrol, should we fall in with one — 
to hasten back to the piquet on the first appearance of 
danger — and on no account to trust ourselves beyond 
the limits which General Fane had marked out. Thus 
instructed, 1 ordered the men to march ; and, as far as 
silence and an acute observation could go, we obeyed 
the officer’s directions to the letter. Nor, indeed, would 
it have been easy, on such a night, and when so occu- 
pied, to indulge in idle or ribald conversation. The 
moon shone full and bright, millions of stars were abroad, 
and the silence was so profound, that the very ripple of 
the stream could be heard as it wound its tortuous way 
along the base of the hill down the slope of which we 
were riding. Moreover, the perfumes that hung upon 
the quiet night air were exquisite. Extensive groves 
of myrtle and orange trees, scattered here and there 
over the plain, loaded the atmosphere with fragrant 
scents, whieh we inhaled with a satisfaction that was 
certainly not diminished because of their novelty. In 
a word, I do not recollect having ever been abroad at a 
season more perfectly delicious, or of performing adut*^ 
which partook so much of the character of a pleasura^ ’'’ 
ble excursion ; for nothing occured even to startle us. 
The world seemed asleep; and we reached the Red- 
Chapel, fully assured that no enemy was or could be 
within many miles of us. At the Red Chapel we halt- 
ed, quitted our horses, and, holding the bridles over our 
arms, applied ourselves to the contents of our haver- 
sacks and canteens. We entered, as was natural, into 
conversation ; and seeing the village distinctly at our 
feet, I proposed that, in spite of the General’s warning 
to the contrary, we should pay it a visit. I was the 
more ready to make this suggestion, from recollecting 


THE HUSSAR. 


137 


that on the other side flowed the stream, which must 
be crossed by a wooden bridge, ere any one from Tor- 
res Vedras could enter the place. My men, as I ex- 
pected, cheerfully fell in with the proposition ; so we 
again mounted, and taking every possible precaution, 
by sending forward a corporal and a file of troopers to 
feel the way, we pushed on. At the meeting of the 
roads the advanced file had pulled up, and once more 
we were all together ; when 1 directed two men to pass 
to the right, two to the left, and, with the main body 
under my own command, I kept the centre. We were 
to meet in the square or open space round which the 
village was built, and to communicate each to the other 
the results of our investigations. 

Every tiling was done with the most perfect regulari- 
ty. My party, having the shortest distance to travel, 
was the first to reach the village square, though the de- 
tachments were not long after us ; and we found, on com- 
paring notes, that the same tranquillity had prevailed 
here which had prevailed elsewhere. Now, then, what 
should we do ? I recollected the innkeeper, and think- 
ing it not impossible that he might have acquired more 
information since Geneial Fane had examined him, I 
rode to his house, and asked whether all was quiet ? 

“ I am glad you have come,” replied the padrone ; 
** for I have some important news to tell you. My 
young man came home from Lisbon an hour ago, and 
passed the whole of the French army on its march; and 
so close are they by this time, that 1 expect them in 
the village in less than half an hour.** 

I questioned him very closely as to the degree of de- 
pendence that might be placed on this report, and he 
assured me that there could be no mistake in it ; adding 
his advice that I would return to the English camp 
without delay, and put the General on his guard. I did 
not think that it would be prudent to neglect the recom- 
mendation, so I stated to my comrades how matters 
stood, and we evacuated the village. 

M2 


138 


THE HUSSAR. 


It was not our policy, however, to return to the camp 
with a vague rumour. We were inclined to believe the 
innkeeper, certainly — yet we wished to have his tale 
confirmed ; so I halted the patrol as soon as we regained 
the Red Chapel, and determined to wait the event. I 
knew that the advance of the enemy, if it did occur, 
would be made known to us clearly enough by the clat- 
ter of their horses’ hoofs when crossing the wooden 
bridge, by which alone they could enter the village : 
and being now within my prescribed limits, and having 
a good half-mile start of all pursuers, the thought of 
danger never crossed my mind. Accordingly, after 
planting a couple of videttes somewhat lower on the slope, 
in such a situation that they could not be surprised, I 
directed the remainder to alight, and to keep their ears 
open. For awhile all was still. Not a breeze moved 
the branches ; not a beast or bird uttered a cry ; indeed, 
the only sound distinguishable was the running water, 
which came upon us most musically. But by and by 
“ a change came over the spirit of our dream.” Wheels 
began to rumble ; there was a dead heavy noise, like 
the tread of many feet over a soft soil ; and then, the 
wooden bridge rang again with the iron hoofs of horses. 
Immediately the videttes fell back, according to my or- 
ders, to report what they had heard, and to learn from 
us that we had heard it also ; and then, after’ waiting 
a sufficient time, to leave no doubt upon our minds as 
to the formidable extent of tlie column that was moving, 
we vaulted into our saddles, and returned at a brisk 
trot towards the piquet. 

There was much challenging, of course, as we drew 
towards the videttes, and demanding and giving the 
counterdgn ; for we rode briskly ; and whether we came 
as friends or foes, our people knew that there must be 
something in the wind. Our protracted absence, too, 
had greately alarmed them ; and General Fane himself, 
irritated by the state of suspense in which he had been 


THE HUSSAR. 


139 


kept, was at hand to bid us welcome. He opened upon 
me witli a volley of abuse, such as I had rarely listened 
to before; and charged me with all sorts of military 
crimes, not the least prominent of which was stupidity. 
I permitted him to exhaust both his breath and his an- 
ger, and then told my tale. The effect was magical 
— I was now everything that was excellent ; I was a 
true soldier, and deserved to be rewarded. It was 
necessary, moreover, that Sir Arthur should be inform- 
ed of a discovery so important, and there was no per- 
son so well qualified to convey this information as my- 
self. Accordingly, General Fane desired me to ride im- 
mediately to head-quarter house, with the situation of 
which I was well acquainted, and to tell my story as I 
had told it to him, circumstantially and fully. 

Colonel Napier, in the first volume of his history, has 
stated, that, “ About 12 o’clock. Sir Arthur was arous- 
ed by a German officer of dragoons, who galloped into 
the camp, and with some consternation, reported that 
Junot, at the head of twenty thousand men, was coming 
on to the attack, and distant but one hour’s march !’* 
It was no German officer, but a German serjeant of 
dragoons, who made this report ; and, be^ing Colonel 
Napier’s pardon, there was no consternation whatever 
in the manner of him who made it. The facts of the 
case, indeed, are these. I rode to the house where the 
General dwelt, and being admitted, I found him, with a 
large Staff, all of them seated on a long table in the 
hall, back to back, and swinging their legs to and fro, 
like men on whose minds not the shadow of anxiety 
rested. Moreover, the General himself not only saw 
no consternation in my manner, but closely examined 
me as to the details of my adventure, and told me that 
I had done my duty well. He then desired me to go 
below, and get something lo eat and drink from his ser- 
vant, which I did, though not till I had heard him give 
his orders, in a calm, clear, and cheerful voice. They 


140 


THE HUSSAR 


were in substance these : Now, gentlemen, go to your 
stations ; but let there be no noise made — no sounding 
of bugles or beating of drums. Get your men quietly 
under arms, and desire all the outposts to be on the 
alert.” This latter admonition, it is just to add, I had 
already conveyed to the outposts, warning each, as I 
passed it on my way home, of the enemy’s approach ; 
and the consequence was, that every man knew the 
ticklish nature of his position, and was prepared to do 
his duty, according as circumstances might require. 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THK BATTLE OF VIMIERO, AND OCCURRENCES IN LISBON. 

Having refreshed myself in Sir Arthur Wellesley’s 
kitchen, I returned to my piquet, to which nothing of a 
nature to excite alarm occurred during the night. The 
enemy did not advance farther than the village, and 
for some time after sunrise next day qll was quiet By 
and by, however, some heavy clouds of dust gave notice 
that the French were moving. Instantly drums beat 
and bugles brayed, to call in stragglers, of whom not a 
few had succeeded in quiting their arms, for various 
purposes ; and in a short time regiments began to march, 
and guns to open their fire — the former in order to as- 
sume a fresh alignment — the latter to harass the heads 
of the enemy’s columns as they showed themselves. 
With respect to ourselves, we were called in and joined 
to the rest of the regiment, which, with the Portuguese 
cavalry, took post in the valley, having the village of 
Vimiero on our right front, and the windmill-hill cov- 
ering us on the left. 

In this position we stood for a considerable space of 
time, completely sheltered from theenemy’s fire, and see- 
ing very little either of their movements, or of the move- 
nienls of our dismounted comrades. The regiments which 
occupied the hill near us, seemed, indeed, to be very hard 
pressed ; for the shot came every instant more thick in 
that quarter; and if they advanced one moment a few 
paces, the next they fell back again. Colonel Taylor, 
who commanded us, repeatedly asked leave to charge, 
but was on each occasion held back, by the assurance 
that the proper moment was not yet come ; till at last 
General Fane rode up and exclaimed, “ Now, Twen- 
tieth ! now we want you. At them, my lads, and let 
them see what you are made of.” Then came the word. 


142 


THE HUSSAR. 


“ threes about and forward,” and with the rapidity of 
thought we swept round the elbow of the hill, and the 
battle lay before us. 

As we emerged up this slope, we were directed to 
form in half-squadrons, the 20th in the centre, the Por- 
tuguese cavalry on the flanks, and the brief space of time 
that was necessary to complete the formation enabled me 
to see over a wide extent of the field. The French were 
coming on in great force, and with the utmost show of 
confidence. A brigade of cavalry was in front, follow- 
ed by a line of infantry, in rear of which again were 
some heavy columns and guns. On our side there were 
some infantry who had long and gallantly maintained 
the hill, but who were so overmatched, that our advance 
was ordered up for the purpose of relieving them ; and 
never was purpose more effectually served. “Now, 
Twentieth ! now !” shouted Sir Arthur, while his Staff 
clapped their hands and gave us a cheer ; the sound of 
which was still in our ears, when we put our horses to 
their speed. The Portugues likewise pushed forward, 
but through the dust which entirely enveloped us, the 
enemy threw in a fire, which seemed to have the effect 
of paralyzing altogether our handsome allies. Right 
and left they pulled up, as if by word of command, and 
we never saw more of them til! the battle was over. 
But we went very differently to work. In an instant 
we were in the heart of the French cavalry, cutting and 
hacking, and upsetting men and horses in the most ex- 
traordinary manner possible, till they broke and fled in 
every direction, and then we fell upon the infantry. It 
was here that our gallant Colonel met his fate. He 
rode that day a horse, which was so hot that not all his 
exertions would suffice to control it, and he was carried 
headlong upon the bayonets of the French infantry, a 
corporal of whom shot him through the heart. The 
corporal took, of course, his plunder, including the Co- 
oncl’s watch seals, and a ring set with Mrs. Taylor,s 
hair, as well as his horse ; and though he sold the ani- 


THE HUSSAR. 


143 


mal afterwards, he refused to part with the watch and 
its appendages, even when offered for them, as I have 
understood, more than their value. 

We were entirely ignorant of the fall of our command* 
ing officer, and had the case been otherwise, we were 
too eager in following up the advantages which we had 
gained, to regard it at the moment. Though scattered, 
as always happens, by the shock of a charge, we still 
kept laying about us, till our white leather breeches, 
our hands, arms, and swords, were all besmeared with 
blood. Moreover, as the enemy gave way we contin- 
ued to advance, amid a cloud of dust so thick, that to see 
beyond the distance of those immediately about yourself, 
was impossible. Thus it was till we reached a low 
fence, through which several gaps had been made by 
the French to facilitate the movements of their cavalry ; 
and we instantly leaped it. The operation cost some 
valuable lives ; for about twenty or thirty of the French 
grenadiers had laid themselves on their bellies beneath 
it, and now received us as well as they could upon their 
bayonets. Several of our men and horses were stabbed, 
but of the enemy not a soul survived to speak of his ex- 
ploit — we literally slew them all — and then, while in 
pursuit of the horse, rushed into an inclosure, where to 
a man we had well nigh perished. For the fold in 
which we were caught was fenced round to a great 
height, and had but a single aparture — the door of 
which, the enemy, who hastened to take advantage of 
our blunder, immediately closed. Then was our situa- 
tion trying enough, for we could neither escape nor 
resist; while looking over the wall we beheld that the 
French had halted, and were returning in something 
like order to the front. 

While we were thus situated, vainly looking for an 
aperture through which to make a bolt, one of our men, 
the same Corporal Marshall, of whom I have elsewhere 
spoken, was maintaining a most unequal combat out- 
side the close, with four French Dragoons that beset 


144 


the hussak* 


him together. An active and powerful man himself, he 
was particularly fortunate in the charger which he be- 
strode — a noble stallion which did his part in the melee, 
not less effectually than his master. The animal bit, 
kicked, lashed out with his fore-feet, and wheeled about 
and about like a piece of macltinery, screaming all the 
time ; while the rider, now catching a blow, now parry- 
ing a thrust, seemed invulnerable. At last he clove one 
enemy to the teeth, and with a back stroke took another 
across the face, and sent him from his saddle. Tlie 
other two hung back, and made signs to some of their 
comrades, but these had no time to help them, for a 
hearty British cheer sounded above the battle, and tlie 
50th regiment advanced in line with fixed bayonets. 
The consequence was, an immediate flight by the ene- 
my, who had calculated on making every man of the 
20th prisoners ; and our release from a situation, of all, 
others the most annoying to men who, like ourselves, 
had no tast for laying down their arms. Moreover, to 
that charge, supported as it was by the simultaneous 
advance of other portions of the line, the enemy did not 
venture to show a front. They were beaten on all sides, 
and retreated in great disorder, leaving the field covered 
with their dead. 

The 20th dragoons had done their duty, as indeed 
was abundantly shown by their soiled and crimsoned 
appearance; and the reception which they met with 
from the general staff as they rode back to their old 
ground in the ravine, was most gratifying. The Por- 
tuguese, on the contrary, were yet standing where they 
had deserted us, formed up like troops on parade, and 
quite bloodless. We , had been good friends before this 
— we were never good friends after. We spit at them 
as we passed, and loaded them with execrations, while 
our officers turned away their heads, and refused to re- 
cognize their former acquaintances. Our next business 
was to call the roll, and ascertain who were missing. 
Strange to say, the whole of our officers, witii the ex- 


THE HUSSAR. 


145 


ception of Colonel Taylor, answered to their names; 
and among the men the slaughter was less terrible than 
might have been expected ; yet we had lost some good 
soldiers, and we lamented them deeply. Then it was 
proposed by Colonel Blake, on whom the command had 
devolved, that a party should go out to seek for Colonel 
Taylor’s body, and as he asked for volunteers I readily 
stood forth as one in a crowd, all of them equally will- 
ing. 

We moved to the front, Capt. Bingham Newland of 
my troop being along with us, and found the declivity 
of the hill and the plain below covered with the killed 
and wounded. There they lay, English and French 
thrown promiscuously together, while hordes of pea- 
sants, together with women from our own army, were 
already in full occupation as plunderers. Among other 
dead men, we passed a French officer of Voltigeurs, a 
tall, good-looking fellow, who wore in his chakot a beau- 
tiful green feather, to which Colonel Blake took a fancy. 

Landsheit,” said he, “ I should like to have that 
Frenchman’s feather. He will have no further use for 
it himself — suppose you fetch it me.” I dismounted 
immediately, and having taken the feather, 1 thought to 
myself, why should not I look for something more ? 
He is dead enough, that’s certain, and neither money 
nor watch can avail him now. Accordingly I turned 
him over and took all that he had — a watch and three 
Spanish dollars. This done, I rode after the detach- 
ment, which was somewhat in front, and overtaking it, 
gave the feather to the Colonel. 

I was in the act of stooping forward, and he had 
reached out his hand for the prize, when a musket-shot 
came from behind a bush hard by, and the ball whistled 
between the Colonel’s head and mine. We looked about 
and saw whence the smoke ascended, upon which my 
officer directed that I would ride up to the spot, and de- 
sire the man, whoever he might be, to cease firing. I 
did so, and found a French grenadier wounded in the 

VoL. 1.— N 


140 


THE HUSSAR 


thigh, but who, leaning against a bank, was in tlie act 
of ramming home another cartridge, and persisted in 
doing so in spite of my remonstrance. “ Throw away 
that musket,” said I, “and I will give you quarter!” 
“ I want no quarter,” replied the grenadier: “just stop 
a moment, and you shall see.” I’here was no time to 
deliberate, for he was already returning his ramrod, and 
the next instant would have sent a ball through my 
body. So I gave him a rap over the head with my 
sword, which put a final stop to all his pugnacious pro- 
pensities. As a wounded man I would have gladly 
spared him ; but his blood be upon his own head ; I 
could not allow him to live and be killed myself. 

We found Colonel Taylor stripped to the drawers, 
lying where he had fallen, upon his face ; and Colonel 
Blake, after cutting off a lock of his hair, gave direc- 
tions that he should be buried. A hole was, in conse- 
quencc, dug, in which we laid him ; not without the 
hearty regrets of all who assisted at the funeral, after 
which we returned to the camp, and for awhile all was 
quiet. 

I have nothing to say concerning the plans and coun- 
sels of my superiors, which led to the Convention of 
Cintra, and the evacuation of Portugal by the French, 
Of the first 1 know no more than I have since learned 
from history; and as to the last, I was not even a wit- 
ness to it. My purpose will therefore be sufficiently 
served when I slate that, marching with the rest of the 
army, I took up my quarters at Belem, of which, till 
Christmas eve, I continued to be an inmate. For with 
the movement of Sir John Moore into Spain, which 
began at the end of October, I was nowise concerned, 
and would therefore justly deserve to be censured were 
I to speak cither of it or of the preparations that led to 
it. But there did occur, during our sojourn in Belem, 
a circumstance which seems to demand repetition, even 
though the story may appear to cast discredit on more 
than the individuals who took part in it. 


THE HUSSAR. 


147 


The Palace of Belem^ is so situated that the royal 
stables abut upon the river — that is to say, that between 
lliem and the stony bank of the Tagus, which is some- 
what steep, there intervenes a space of less than twenty 
yards. A portion of our squadron occupied these 
stables, and among others two men, remarkable for no 
single quality that becomes a soldier, not even ft»r cour- 
age, which few soldiers lack. These men going into 
a wine house one evening, saw a Portuguese peasant 
imprudently tell over his money, and observing that the 
sum was considerable, a portion of it being gold, they 
determined to rob him. The one said to the other, 
“Stay you here, and keep the old rascal in view, while 
I run home for our cloaks and pistols — the money we 
want and the money we must have, let the consequences 
be what they may.” Accordingly this man, whose name 
was Downes, hurried back to the Palace and provided 
himself with the cloaks and weapons, while the other, 
called Thorpe, managed to delay the peasant till his 
comrade returned. 

At last the peasant mounted his ass and w'cnt for- 
ward, Downes and Thorpe following at a little distance, 
till they cleared the town, and emerged irito a plain of 
considerable extent. “ Now then,” said Downes, “you 
go up and knock the rascal over. If he resists I will 
join you, but if you can rob him by yourself it will be 
so much the better.” Thorpe did as he was desired, 
and being armed with a thick stick he struck the Por- 
tuguese a blow on the, head and levelled him. But the 
old man’s heart was resolute, or else he loved his money 
60 much that Thorpe found it a more difficult matter 
than he had supposed to overcome him ; and his com- 
rade hearing the peasant’s cries, ran forward and lent 
his aid in suppressing them. The poor countryman 
was plundered ; but Downes was not content. “ He’ll 
be at the barrack to-morrow, you may depend upon it. 
We must dispatch him on the spot, otherwise we’ll have 
no good of the money. It was no sooner said than 


148 


THE HUSSAR. 


done. The rascal held a pistol to the old man’s temple, 
and blew his brains out. 

The ruffians came back to barracks as if nothing- 
extraordinary had happened, and exhibited no trace of 
the night’s work in their countenances. They acted, 
likewise, with singular prudence ; for they buried their 
ill-gotten hoard under a stone in the bank of the river, 
and took only such trifling sums as from time to time 
they conceived that they should require. The conse- 
quence was, tliat while men wondered whence they 
had their funds for treating, nobody was able to say 
that they had more than a trifle about them, nor, of 
course, to charge them with unlawful proceedings. And 
as to the murdered man, no inquiry was ever made after 
him. Human life was too lightly esteemed at that 
time, and in that country, to make the absence of an 
aged peasant from his home a subject of wonder ; and 
the miscreants, whose hands were red with his blood, 
ate and drank and were merry. 

At length one of them, Thorpe, fell sick, and was 
removed to the hospital. He grew daily worse and 
worse, till his recovery began to be despaired of ; and 
then conscience, which had slumbered so long, awoke, 
and he was a miserable man 'indeed. He raved about 
an old man’s bloody corpse, and uttered such shocking 
and incoherent exclamations, that the nurses and pa- 
tients around looked at him with horror, and asked him 
what he meant? He groaned and desired that the 
quarter-master might be sent for, to whom he made a 
full confession ; telling him both the name of his 
partner in the crime, and the spot where the booty lay 
concealed. Now it happened that Downes was on 
guard that day, and would not come off till the evening 
of the next — a circumstance which at once lessened 
the chances of his becoming acquainted with his com- 
rade’s confession, and encouraged the quarter-master to 
look for corroborative proof, ere he brought so serious a 
charge against him. Instead, therefore, of giving 


THE HUSSAR. 


149 


Downes into custody and getting the evidence of the 
sick man taken down, he communicated to me and to 
others the substance of Thorpe’s story, and requested 
us to assist him in his endeavour to find the money. 
We searched all night but were not successful, and on 
the morrow Thorpe was dead. 

It is not often that such a crime goes unpunished. 
There is a voice in the blood of a murdered man which 
neither earth nor water can stifle — and rare, indeed, 
are the instances in which the hand that has taken 
away a brother’s life grows cold by the operations of 
natural disease. But in the case of the poor peasant, 
the avenger lagged in his pace, and Thorpe died misera- 
ble, and with him died the only evidence which could 
have brought Downes to the scaffold. For though the 
money was found where the wretched culprit repre- 
sented it to be, Downes, when shown both it and the 
bag that contained it, denied all acquaintance with them. 
Moreover, there was nobody to make a complaint. The 
peasant had not been missed, or if missed, his family 
cared not to search for him ; and to put a man on his 
trial for an offence, of which there was no proof, would 
have been madness. Downes continued to do his duty 
with the regiment: and is now, I brieve, respectably 
settled, somewhere in the north of England. 

With the exception of this affair, I am unable to 
recall to my recollection any occurrence during our 
four months’ residence at Belem, which it would 
be worth while, at this distance of time, to com- 
mit to paper. At Ipst an order reached us, to prepare 
for an immediate march into Spain, where Sir John 
Moore’s army, though understood to be in a career of 
victory, stood in need of immediate reinforcements. It 
was Christmas eve when we began our advance : and 
during many days of incessant rain, we penetrated by 
Coimbra and Santarem to Abrantes. Here we halted, 
and the weather clearing up, spent some weeks with 
great satisfaction ; especially to me, to whom my friendly 
N2 


150 


THE HUSSAR. 


stars gave a billet in the house of a singularly hospita- 
ble and obliging family. It consisted of an elderly 
gentleman and his three daughters, all excessively fond 
of music, whose friendship I ensured for ever, by en- 
gaging some of our own band, and of the band ot a 
regiment belonging to the German Legion, to play for 
their amusement. Accordingly, the sole hinderance to 
their favourite pastime being removed, they gave balls 
and suppers to their neighbours — all of whom they 
laught to regard me as the founder of feasts. I en- 
joyed myself exceedingly under the roof of tliis weaU 
thy Portuguese gentleman, and left, I have reason to 
believe, no bad name behind me. 


THE HUSSAR. 


151 


CHAPTER XIV. 

ADVENTURES IN PORTUGAL 1 GO TO SICILY OCCUR- 

RENCES THERE. 

Though there was not much to do, in a military sense, 
while the 20th occupied Albrantes, it cannot be said 
that we were wholly idle. We had guards to mount 
and patrols to send out as regularly as if the enemy 
had been near us, and, once at least, I had, while in 
charge of the former, well nigh got into a serious 
scrape. The case was this : — 

There is a rivulet in front of Abrantes, which is 
spanned by a wooden bridge, at the further extremity 
of which, one of our piquets was in the habit of estab- 
lishing itself. It happened one evening that I was or- 
dered with a corporal and twelve men to repair to this 
post; and that either through the negligence of the 
commissaries, or because our stores were exhausted, no 
supply was served out to us of food or forage, as in like 
cases is the custom. The men had but a mouthful of 
biscuit, the horses a half- feed of barley ere they paraded 
and we were marched off with an assurance, that in 
the course of the night or next day, an allowance 
would be forwarded to us. Well, we reached our 
ground, threw out our videttes, kindled our fire, and 
sat down ; but eight, nine, ten o’clock came, without 
bringing a morsel for us or for our animals. And so it 
was throughout the night. No supplies reached us, 
and we felt as dawn broke, both hungry and dissatisfied, 
having tasted hardly any thing since noon on the day 
preceding. As may be imagined, our good humour 
was not restored, when hour after hour passed by with- 
out bringing the wished-for rations ; and at last, the 
general discontent became so great, that it seemed to 
me necessary to take some measures for its removal. 


152 


THE HUSSAR. 


The horses had sought to allay their hunger by 
gnawing the bark from tiie trees under which they were 
picketted. VVe had looked in vain in our haversack 
for even a few crumbs; when about eleven o’clock I 
desired the corporal to take charge of the piquet, while, 
with four men I went to the from m quest of vivres. 
There was an extensive plantation of olive trees before 
us, through which having passed, we found ourselves on 
a wide plain ; at the farther extremity of which stood 
three houses, detached some way one from another, 
but all of them respectable. I determined to try 
whether in one or other of these, the articles of which 
we stood so much in need might be procured. The 
nearest at hand was, of course, the most convenient to 
us, and we trotted towards it — nothing grieved when 
we found that there were numerous outbuildings adja- 
cent, and that it bore about it the air of a place of 
which the inhabitants could not possibly be paupers. 
Our first business was to examine the offices — if, haply, 
we might discover a hen-roost, and our search was emi- 
nently successful. Fowls in abundance were at feed — 
four or five of which w’^ere, after a tremendous cackling, 
deposited, with their necks considerably elongated, in a 
haversack. But we wanted bread, we w'anled wine, we 
wanted corn for our horses ; and these were to be had 
only by making requisition for them. I accordingly 
dismounted at the door of the mansion itself, and giving 
my reins to one of the four men, I entered, attended 
by the other three, the great hall or lumbre. 

The family were there, consisting of a gentleman 
and several ladies, to whom I stated my case, and the 
urgent necessity there was for supplying me with what 
I wanted. I told them that we did not come as plun- 
ders, and pulling out some dollars, I desired them to 
name their own price and it should be paid. But they 
would not listen to me. The gentleman first said that 
he had nothing, and then peremptorily declared that 
whatever he might have, I should get no share of it 


THE HUSSAR 


153 


High words followed of course, and probably we might 
have gone even farther, but that one of the ladies sud- 
denly rose from her seat, and opening a door near the 
fire-place, ran up a stair that communicated with it. I 
paid no regard to her movements, and was still arguing 
the point with the Padrone, when, to my horror, down 
came an English staff-officer, booted and spuned, and 
in full regimentals, to demand my business there. I 
told him exactly how we were situated, and showed 
him the money which I had tendered to the Portuguese, 
but my eloquence had no effect upon him. He abused 
me roundly, made me give him my name in writing, 
desired me to return forthwith to the piquet, and as- 
sured me that I should hear of the matter afterwards. 
There was no disputing the will of my superior, so I 
obeyed ; and my little party rode back to the bridge, 
the chagrin of all, but especially of myself, being in- 
creased fourfold by the issue of the excursion. 

At last the relief, came, and after a fast of more than 
four-and-twenty hours, we had rations served out to 
us. Something, too, was said by way of apology for 
the neglect which had occasioned us so much suffering; 
but I w'as not in a humour to understand it. I felt that 
I was in a scrape, and I could not tell what might be 
the consequences. Providence, however, which has 
stood my friend on many occasions, did not desert me 
now. The men were at stables, littering up their horses 
for the night, when intelligence came in that the French 
were advancing; and that the whole of the troops, both 
cavalry and infantry, were directed to get under arms 
and move to the front. Immediately there was a 
sounding of trumpets and beating of drums in all direc- 
tions. The infantry ran to their parades ; we saddled, 
accoutred and mounted, and in half an hour were in full 
march along the road to Elvas. Nothing resulted from 
the alarm, which proved to be groundless ; for the 
French discovering that Sir John Moore had taken the 
mountains of Gallicia, countermarched upon him, and 


154 


THE HUSSAR. 


left the Portuguese frontier unassailed ; but to me, the 
movement brought deliverance from the most serious 
hazard that throughout my tvvo-and-twenty years’ ser- 
vice as a soldier ever threatened me. My friend, the 
etaff-officer, forgot, amid the bustle of an opening cam- 
paign, that he] and I had ever met ; and it will not be 
doubted that I took especial care never to refresh his 
memory. 

We advanced to Elvas, whence, after a sojourn of a 
few days, we returned again to Abrantes. Sir John 
Moore, it appeared, bad abandoned the contest in Spain, 
and there was no need for us over the border ; indeed it 
came out by and by that Abrantes itself was considered 
too far from the point of embarkation, and we were re- 
called, first to Santarem, and eventually to Coimbra, 
Here we spent the remainder of the winter and the 
whole of the spring, our lives being such as soldiers 
usually lead in quarters, without producing any incident 
which it would be worth my while to describe; or in 
the description of which the reader would be likly to take 
an interest. But the early summer opened out for us 
brighter prospects. Sir Arthur Wellesley had returned 
to take the command of an army, which reposed in him 
unbounded confidence, and his arrival in the country 
gave an immediate impulse to the spirit of military, pre- 
paration. There were reviews and musters, casting off 
broken down h< rses, and supplying their places with 
better ; and finally, in the month of May, we were in 
full march towards the Douro, for the pupose, as was 
given out, of rescuing Oporto from the dominion of Mar- 
shal Soult and his corps d’armfee. 

Sir Arthur had brought with him a large accession 
to our cavalry force; so that the 20th found itself brigad- 
ed, in this advance, with two other regiments, the 14lh 
and 16th of Light Dragoons. General Cotton com- 
manded us, and more than once we saw the enemy, but 
except a skirmish here and there between our scouts 
and their rear-guard, we never brought them to action. 


THE HUSSAR. 


155 


Once, indeed, at a place called Alberg^aria Nova, we 
drew up, after a severe night’s march, in their front, 
and as the country was open before us, we anticipated 
a brush, notwithstanding that their horse was well sup- 
ported by riflemen ; but no charge w'as made, On the 
contrary, our own infantry got the start of us, 1 can’t 
tell how, and we were but spectators of (he excellent 
style in which t^ey forced the French from their 
ground. 

On the 1 1th there was a sharp encounter near the 
village of Grijon, w'here a considerable body ofthe enemy 
made a stand, and General Stewart, now Marquis of 
Londonderry, conducted a brilliant charge by the l4th, 
and took many prisoners. The 20th, however, had no 
share in that action, neither, indeed, did they proceed 
farther than the heights of Carvalhos; for the same 
night an order came which recalled us to Lisbon, there 
to be embarked for the purpose of joining our two right 
squadrons in Sicily. I need not say, that to abandon 
the theatre of war, just as a campaign of surpassing in- 
terest has opened, is not a very agreeable task to a sol- 
dier. Nevertheless, we were certain that no reproach 
could attach to us, w'hose first duty it was to obey the 
commands of our superiors; and if we were sorrowful 
as we turned our horses’ heads to the rear, we experi- 
enced no feeling of shame. Our march was not 
attended by any circun)stances worthy of record. We 
reached Lisbon in safety, and the next day went on 
board of ship at Belem, and dropped down the Tagus, 

We had a tedious and uncomfortable passage to 
Sicily. Scarcely were, we in the Bay of Biscay ere a 
storm arose, which scattered the fleet, and sent our ship 
for shelter into Carthagena — an admirable harbour, 
where we found the smoothest lying, and refreshments 
of every kind proportionate to our wants. There we 
waited till the gale ceased, when again putting to sea, 
we prosecuted the remainder of our voyage without any 
accident, and reached the Bay of Messina in safety. 


156 


THE HUSSAR. 


The appearance of Messina itself, and the noble scenery 
in rear of it, as beheld from the water in the clear light 
of a summer’s day, is unusually striking. I thought, 
indeed, that amid all my wanderings, I had never look- 
ed upon a more attractive landscape, and I was scaacely 
satisfied with gazing when the boats were lowered, and 
we made ready to disembark. Yet I was nowise dis- 
pleased to find myself once more upon earth’s solid sur- 
face. Moreover, the meeting with old comrades, the 
friendly shaking of hands, the anxious inquiries after 
those who would never come again — all this proved in 
its way inexpressibly delightful. Our squadrons march- 
ed into the quarters which their fellow-soldiers occupied, 
and for some days it was among us an unceasing routine 
of mirth and jollity. 

It is not necessary for me to give a detailed account 
of the condition of Sicily, both political and military, 
when we arrii^ed to do duty over its degenerate court, 
and to protect its inhabitants from French domination. 
Charles VIL, driven from his continental provinces, had 
long found an asylum in the island, and, supported by 
the English, contrived to enact there the part of a 
sovereign prince. His consort, hoWever, was, for more 
reasons than one, suspected of holding the English al- 
liance in disfavour, and hence, though treated with the 
utmost deference, her movements were watched with a 
degree of vigilance of which she was quite unconscious. 
Yet no circumstance, for many months after our arrival, 
occurred to justify this circumspection, by confirming 
the suspicions in which it originated ; so that the or- 
dinary affairs of the country went on as if there had 
not been a party among its supreme governors to whom 
the existing order of things was detestable. 

With respect, again, to the military situation of the 
island, that may be described in a few words. The bat- 
tle of Maida had been fought, and the impossibility of 
maintaining a footing on the continent of Italy was not 
only demonstrated, but, for the safety of Sicily itself. 


THE HUSSAR. 


157 


strong and just fears were entertained. Along the op- 
posite shores of Calabria a numerous army, under 
Murat, lay encamped, for the conveyance of which 
across'tlie channel, scarce three miC-es in width, a numer- 
ous flotilla of gun-boats and open launches crowded the 
bays and harbours. On our side again, in addition to 
the naval force, which was formidable, every prepara- 
tion was made to resist and repel the invasion. From 
Faro Point all the way round to Skeleta, that is to say, 
to the suburbs of Messina itself, was one continued line 
of troops; piquets, and detachments, occupying the 
beach at short intervals, while the main body lay in the 
towns and villages near. Moreover, on the hill above 
St. Stephano, a telegraph station was erected, whence, 
on the first appearance of danger, an alarm, it was sup- 
posed, could be given ; while patrols passing perpetually 
from one station to another, rendered it next to impos- 
sible that a hostile foot should be planted, unobserved, 
upon the strand. 

Our first quarters in Sicily were at Messina, a large 
and a handsome town, remarkable for the splendour of 
its caineural, and at once protected and overawed by a 
strong citedel We were here when the conspiracy 
came to light, which the Queen, as appeared afterwards, 
had long been hatching, and, with the rest of the gar- 
rison, were kept for some nights under arms, in expecta- 
tion of a tumult, if not of something more serious. 
How the movement began, or by what means it was de- 
tected, I am unable to say. All that I can relate, in 
reference to it, is this : that we received one night a 
sudden order to saddle and equip ; and that going forth 
next morning, we found the house of Sir James Craig, 
the commander-in-chief, guarded by detachments both 
of horse and foot, and a couple of field-pieces at the door. 
Then followed arrests beyond number, of noblemen and 
gentlemen, and officers of various ranks, some of whom 
died under the hands of the common executioner; 
while others were sent into exile. I believe that it was 
VoL. r— O 


158 


THE HUSSAR. 


from one of these condemned conspirators that the share 
V(^ich the Queen had in the projected rising was dis< 
covered. A Sicilian Colonel, having been condemned 
to suffer, was already at the foot of the gallows, when 
he produced a bundle of papers which told a curious 
tale ; while the consequences were, his own reprive, or 
ultimate pardon, as well as the hasty flight of the 
Queen from Messina. She was pursued and overtaken ; 
and being sent back to Germany, she there ended her 
days, leaving us free from the annoyance which her in- 
trigues had constantly occasioned. 

Besides this, there befel, while we occupied our quar- 
ters in the city, two events, of which, as they made a 
very deep impression upon me at the moment, I am 
bound to speak. The first of these was an eruption of 
Mount Etna; the most remarkable that had occurred 
in the memory of the existing generation : the sdbond, 
the appearance of the great comet, which showed itself 
in 1811 to all the nations of Europe. I recollect that 
on the morning of the day when Etna burst forth, 1 
W’as busy upon the parade-ground, drilling a hatch of 
recruits. There had been for some time previously an 
extraordinary closeness of atmosphere, but that day 
the heat was so intense that no one could breathe, ex- 
cept with difficulty, and, as it seemed, in opposition to 
a positive weight upon his chest ; yet there was no sun- 
shine. On the contrary, the heavens were covered by 
a dense fog, which grew every moment darker, till by 
and by some large drops of rain fell with a heavy splash 
upon the pavement. I felt them strike me; and on 
looking to my white trousers, observed that each left a 
stain behind as black as ink. The natives, dreadfully 
alarmed by the aspect which nature had put on, began 
to flee from their houses, anticipating, as they took care 
to tell us, an earthquake; but they were deceived. 
About ten o’clock a noise was heard as of a distant thun- 
iler ; and immediately afterwards the thick clouds were 
dJuminated to a degree which no language could ade- 


THE HUSSAR. 


159 


quately represent. Mount Etna had burst his bounds ; 
and volumes of flame ascended up to heaven, tossing 
upon their bosoms stones of a prodigious size, and co- 
vering the whole face of the surrounding country with 
a dark palpable powder, of which portions were wafted 
as far as the island of Malta. Meanwhile old Strom- 
boli, though he emitted no fire, began to smoke tre- 
mendously, while rivers of lava were pouring down the 
sides of Etna, involving whole tracts of cultivated land 
in irretrievable ruin. 

I need not pause to relate how strongly the curiosity 
of classes, natives as well as foreigners, was excited, or 
how they hastened to ascend the mountain, in order that 
they might observe near at hand the whole process of 
the eruption. For myself, the nature of my duties con- 
fined me to the city, over which, not long afterwards, 
the great comet made its appearance. I know not 
how this memorable visiter may have shown himself 
in England, or the nature of the feelings which his ar- 
rival excited among such as beheld him; but in Sicily, 
the light which he shed around rivalled that of day — at 
least it much surpassed in brilliancy the brightest 
moonshine. It will much surprise me if I ever cease 
to look back without wonder on the effect produced by 
his coming; or to treasure up the sensations of astonish, 
ment, not unmixed with awe, of which I was conscious, 
while night after night I watched his excentric pro- 
gress. 

The comet had disappeared and Etna was once more 
at rest, when the 20th Dragoons received instructions to 
furnish a serjeant’s party for duty at Faro Point. I 
was employed upon this service, and for many weeks 
commanded a detachment of twelve men; out of which 
two orderlies were each day at the disposal of the 
General, whose business it was to observe that part of 
the coast. During the whole of that period the com- 
mon routine of our existence was this. By day, all ex- 
cept the orderlies occupied quarters in a house not far 


160 


THE HUSSAR. 


removed from the batteries and intrenchments with 
which the neck of the point was covered. By night 
some patrolled in the direction of St. Stephano; while 
the remainder, scraping holes for themselves in the sand, 
slept in their cloaks, fully armed and accoutred, with 
the bridles of their horses fastened to their wrists. 
Neither were these precautions unnecessary. Imme- 
diately opposite, along a range of commanding heights, 
stood hundreds of white tents, around which we could 
distinguish, even with the naked eye, crowds of soldiers 
collected. It was their custom to descend every night, 
and to embark on board of the vast flotilla which lay at 
anchor near the shores, from which, as the morning 
dawned, they as regularly withdrew, and returned to 
the camp. Now our chiefs wisely concluded that a 
manuoeuvre, so often practised for the purpose of deceiv- 
ing, might, sooner or latter, be converted into a real at- 
tack ; and they were determined, let it come when it 
might, not to be caught napping. The consequence 
was that the whole extent of sea-shore, from the Point 
of Faro to Messina, was nigtly covered with armed 
men, not indeed sufliciently numerous to oppose a land- 
ing, if attempted in force, but adequate to all the pur- 
poses both of offering a temporary resistance, and giving 
an alarm to the main body. 

It must not be imagined, however, that the armies thus 
opposed to one another abstained from other and more 
serious methods of mutual annoyance, than by parades 
and demonstrations. The enemy’s gun-boats would, 
from time to time, put to sea, and ours meeting them 
about midchannel, various sharp encounters took place. 
As often as this occurred, we landsmen watched the is- 
sue with an intensity of itjterest, such as must be felt 
to be understood ; a feeling which was indulged in to 
its utmost extent by the enemy as well as by our own 
soldiers. For we could see them clustering on the brow 
of the opposite hill, and waving their caps, while their 
shouts, which the wind blew towards us, were heard by 


THE HUSSAR. 


161 


us as distinctly as the roar of the combatants’ artillery. 
It was not, for the most part Murat’s wish that these 
contests should be waged to an extremity, but occa- 
sionally both sides fought as if they were in earnest ; 
and once at least our gallant seamen, though they won 
the battle, did not prevail till after their courage and 
endurance had been both tried to the uttermost. 


CHAPTER XV. 

MORE ADVENTURES IN SICILY. 

While the naval forces of England and France thus 
came occasionally into collision, the soldiers on both 
sides gazed upon one another as two angry dogs are 
apt to do, whose chains will not permit them to meet. 
I cannot tell exactly what space there may be between 
Faro Point and the Calabrian coast ; but that the one 
lies witliin long canon-shot of the other we had the 
best means of determining; as well from the practice 
of the enemy’s gunners as from that of our own. The 
French had on the slope of the opposite hill a lofty flag- 
staff with a long six-and-tliirty pounder beside it, 
mounted on a traversing carriage. From this, which 
we were accustomed to call Long Tom, it was their 
constant habit of an afternoon” to give us a salute, to 
which we invariably replied from a battery of four-and- 
twenty pounders planted not far above the high-water 
mark. That our shot were admirably thrown we could 
perceive, because more than once they cut down the 
French flag-staff, a hit which never failed to call forth 
from us the loudest cheering. Neither were the French 
gunners less skilful in their vocation. On both sides 
a great elevation was used, so that the balls fell in 
many instances almost perpendicularly, yet they never 
went very wide of their mark on either side, and the 
02 


162 


THE HUSSAR. 


€scapes among us were in consequence well-nigh mi- 
raculous. Take the following examples: — 

I was myself reclining, one day, upon a sort of couch 
— a stretcher which I had placed in one corner of my 
room — with a jjigar in my mouth and a cup of wine 
beside me, when down came a cannon-ball through the 
roof and struck the stone floor within a yard of me. 
Being a good deal spent it rolled towards the partition, 
through which, as it was made of deal, it burst, and 
then running over the foot of another man, who lay on 
a blanket in an adjoining apartment, it lamed him for 
life. Not yet exhausted, it passed through a second 
partition and tumbled into the kitchen, beneath the 
grate of which, to the astonislnncnt of several persons 
who witnessed its evolutions, it made a final lodgement. 
There was of course a search made in the house for the 
purpose of ascertaining the extent of damage done, and 
though all pitied the poor wounded trooper, all at the 
same time admitted that matters might have been 
worse. 

On another occasion, an officer being about to shave 
in his tent, had suspended his looking-glass against the 
tent pole, and called repeatedly to his servant to fetch 
hot water. The man was out of the way, so the officer 
ran himself to the kitchen, which chanced to be near 
at hand, for the purpose of supplying his own neces- 
sities. He was scarcely gone when long Tom struck 
his looking-glass, shivered it to pieces, cut the tent pole 
in two, and levelled the lent with the ground. Without 
doubt the gentleman owed his life to the temporary 
negligence of his servant. 

Another occurrence, though not less remarkable, was 
more unfortunate in its results. General Heneberc, com- 
manding at this station, occupied a house close to the 
beach, in front of which a sentinel was alA'ays mounted. 
It happened on a certain day that the enemy directed 
more than the usual quantity of fire at this house, inso- 
much that the sentinel observing the balls throw up the 


THE HUSSAR. 


163 


Wind around him, became impatient. He therefore re- 
tired into a court, outside of which he had heretofore 
been pacing, and shut the gates. He was yet in the 
act of fastening the latch, when a ball came, shivered 
the staple to pieces, and killed him on the spot. So 
much for getting out of the way to avoid a fate which 
is reserved for us. 

On a fourth occasion I saw a ball strike the ground 
near a battery, at which some men were working. It 
seemed to be quite spent, for it was travelling along the 
beach like a cricket ball when the force which has sent 
it from the bowler’s hand is exhausted ; and an artificer, 
being, 1 presume, of this opinion, ran up and clapped 
his spade before it. It snapped the spade asunder as 
if it had been a thread and bounded forward ; but it in- 
flicted no damage on any one — as another did, not long 
afterwards. 

Two artillery officers happened to meet at a mortar 
battery, and were giving directions for settling the bed, 
when a ball came with such precision of aim, that it 
slew them both. It will be seen, therefore, that though 
the sea was between us, neither we nor the French 
troops were absolutely out of danger, and the progress 
of a short time sufficed to prove that dangers greater 
and more urgent were continually impending. 

The summer of 1811 had passed away without any 
effort on the part of the enemy to invade us, and though 
we relaxed in no degree from our vigilance, a convic- 
tion began naturally to gain ground, that Murat would 
never embark on an enterprise so pregnant with danger. 
•Our patrols, therefore, while they went their rounds 
night after night, did so with a sort of moral conviction 
•on their minds that they should meet with nothing to 
alarm or molest them. 

It was in this spirit that two dragoons passed, one 
night in the month of September, from Skeleta to St. 
Stephano, and reported at the latter place, as others had 
done before them, that all was well. They then faced 


164 


THE HUSSAR. 


about, and having paused only to tighten their girths 
and give their horses an opportunity to shake them- 
selvas, they rode back in the direction from which they 
hadcome. It was now drawing towards day-break, 
and in the eastern sky a brighter and brigliter glow 
was continually appearing. 

At last the dawn came in, by the glimmering of which 
they beheld, just under the hill on which the telegraph 
stood, groups of men collected on the shore and a num- 
ber of boats rocking upon the water. 

The dragoons, taking it for granted they were fisher- 
men returned from plying their trade, approached them ; 
and their astonishment may be conceived vyhen they 
ascertained that it was a part of the enemy. The fact, 
indeed, was this. Murat, finding the breeze set fair 
from the Calabrian shore, had ordered his flotilla to put 
to sea, and to pass, by its three divisions, to Messina, 
St. Stephano, and Faro Point; one of which, destined 
to act upon the centre of our line, succeeded in gaining 
its haven. It is probable, too, that had the French been 
more perfect masters of their business, a serious affair 
would have taken place ; for the flotilla of boats was 
very numerous, and appeared crowded with soldiers, so 
that all that was needed to give the invader at least a 
chance of success, was, that his opponents should re- 
ceive no alarm ere he had affected his landing. But 
when our men, on discovcrit)g their mistake, wheeled 
about, sojne French soldiers, in order to stop them, 
fired — a most unwise proceeding, which had the imme- 
diate effect of putting all the piquets within hearing on 
the alert. The consequence was, that while the greater 
portion of Murat’s musquito fleet was yet at sea, bri- 
gade after brigade was in full march to oppose him, 
and to the furthest extremity of our line we were all 
under arms waiting for orders. Murat was very 
brave, but he was not then insane. He therefore drew 
off with as many of his people as he could re-embark, 
while the remainder, left to themselves, dispersed an(i 


THE HUSSAR. 


165 


fled like hunted robbers to the mountains. There the 
peasantry tracked them out and would have put them 
all to death but for the intervention of our troops, by 
whom about eight hundred prisoners were made, in- 
cluding several officers of rank, and among others an 
aide-de-camp of the intrusive King himself. 

I was still on duty at Faro Point when the alarm of 
an invasion was given, consequently, except by stand- 
ing for some hours beside my horse fully accoutred, I 
took no part in the business. Not long afterwards, 
however, my party was relieved, and we marched back 
to our quarters at Messina. I do not recollect that 
there happened during my sojourn there any thing de- 
serving of record, unless an extraordinary display of 
credulity among the people, and an act of remarkable 
knavery by a priest, deserve to be so accounted. I have 
not forgotten that both affected me very strongly at the 
moment, though I much question whether they will 
bear to be deseribed ; nevertheless, here they are. 

In a certain part of Messina remarkable for the low 
profligacy of its inhabitants, and fronting a street which 
was not frequented except by the most abandoned cha- 
racters, stood a convent of Benedictine monks — one of 
tjie gates of which was surmounted by a picture of the 
Virgin, before which a lamp was kept perpetually burn- 
ing. The picture, being painted on copper, was covered 
by a glass, and, with a gilt frame, faced the south-west 
so as to be exposed to the influence of a burning sun, 
at the very hours when his power is the greatest. One 
morning, the monk whose business it was to provide 
that the lamp should never go out, announced to the 
pious inhabitants of “ Black Dog Street,” that the Virgin 
had wept. The intelligence spread like wildfire through 
the city ; and from all its quarters flocked the high and 
the low, the rich and tlje poor, to witness this great 
miracle. Now, the monks were not disposed to let the 
miracle pass unprofitably for themselves ; — they en- 
couraged the people to come forward, but they laid iu 


166 


THE HUSSAR. 


their way baskets, wine-casks, and boxes, with small 
orifices in the lids, all of them empty. Into these the 
pious were invited to cast money, wine, oil, bread, fruit, 
fowls, and valuables of every description ; and, to do 
them justice, the liberality of the Messineans could 
scarcely be surpassed. In g-ratitude to the holy fathers, 
who erected a temporary staircase for their accommo- 
dation, by means of \/hich they might ascend and view 
the weeping Virgin face to fhce, they filled, over and 
over again, the vessels that were laid in their way ; 
while, the more to encourage them in so pious a pro- 
ceeding, a grand procession of all the clergy took place. 
With the bishop at their head, and carrying the Host 
in great state, a whole regiment of priests and monks 
walked two and two from the convent steps to the cathe- 
dral, while his lordship took care to exhort his flock to 
walk worthy of the high distinction with which they 
had been honoured. Nor is this all. There appeared, 
the morning of the second day, a legend beside the pic- 
ture, which accounted for this extraordinary display of 
sorrow on the part of the Virgin : she wept because a 
country so pre-eminently Christian as Sicily should 
have passed under the dominion of h( reties. 

All this was very well — that is to say, it served the 
purposes of the monks to admiration ; but the English 
authorities were scarcely pleased with it. They, there- 
fore, commanded the artist by whom the painting had 
been executed to be brought to the spot, and proved, 
through him, that the miracle was not so portentous as 
the good bishop had described it. Tlie heat of the sun, 
it appeared, had melted the lead, and caused the paint 
to run. Still tlie offerings were presented — they could 
not be restrained ; and though the written account of 
the Virgin’s sorrows was taken away, I never heard that 
the bishop or his clergy exerted themselves to persuade 
the people that she had not wept at all. 

The second circumstance to which I have alluded 


THE HUSSAR. 


167 


may to the reader seem still more trivial, though to me 
it was affecting enough when it occurred. 

There was a Sicilian nobleman, the Prince Salvestro 
Gustavellio de St. Stephano, who did me the honour to 
notice me a good deal, and to make me his companion 
more than once, upon a shooting expedition. He had 
a chaplain — Don Titto — whose vicarage adjoined the 
Prince’s chapel, where, as the house was a large one, 
the Serjeant-Major of the 20th, with some others, my- 
self among the number, had their quarters. Don Titto 
kept a horse, and being very desirous of getting it into 
good condition, he conceived that his purpose would be 
best served by feeding it — not on his own straw and 
barely — but upon the beans and oats that were served 
out for our chargers. Now, stores of this description 
are always committed to the charge of the Serjeant- 
Major — and ours, being surprised at the havoc that was 
made in his sacks, desired the man who waited upon 
him to keep a sharp watch. The man did so, and in an 
evil moment for poor Don Titto, caught him in the 
very act of filling an enormous nose-bag out of a sack 
of beans. He seized the thief immediately, gave the 
alarm, and assisted the Serjeant-Major to tie the nose- 
bag round the Padre’s neck, and drag him into the 
Prince’s presence. I never heard a human being beg 
for mercy in language more abject than that which 
Don Titto employed. He fell upon his knees, and en- 
treated that they would spare him. The Serjeant-Major, 
however, was inexorable; and Don Titto, being sent 
about his business, was never heard of more. 

The period of the occupation of Sicily was remafkat 
ble for the prevalence of crime among that portit n of 
the British army which was employed in the service. 
How to account for the circumstance I do not pretend ; 
but it is certain that a greater quantity of murders 
were perpetrated, and more acts of depredation com- 
mitted by the English troops, while they held Sicily in 
their hands, than by the whole of the Duke of Welling- 


168 


THE HUSSAR. 


ton’s forces in Spain, though surpassing them at least 
four to one in point of numbers. On one occasion, for 
example, a soldier belonging to an infantry regiment 
came off guard at night, and feeling fatigued, lay down 
upon his bed, in order to sleep — but was hindered from 
sleeping by the serjeant of his squad — who, sitting in 
the same room, entered into an animated conversation 
with those about him. The weary man looked up, and 
begged the serjeant to be silent ; a request with which 
the speaker did not think fit to comply. Again the 
man raised himself on his elbow', and declared with an 
oath, that if the serjeant would not hold his tongue, and 
permit him to sleep, he would blow his brains out. The 
serjeant paid no other regard to his threat than to laugh 
at it ; but he little knew the sort of person with whom 
he was trifling. The man sprang from his bed, de- 
liberately took down his musket from the arms-rack, 
and shot the non-commissioned officer dead on the spot 
He was, of course, tried — found guilty — condemned — 
and executed ; a poor compensation for the life which 
in his anger he had taken away. 

On another occasion a soldier was caught by a pisano, 
plundering his vineyard. The countryman either wished 
to seize the robber, or in some way or another excited 
his fury, for a struggle took place, and the Sicilian was 
killed. The court which tried the murderer found him 
guilty on the clearest evidence, and he was sentenced 
to be hanged. In order to give to the execution as 
much solemnity as possible, all the troops in garrison 
were ordered to attend ; while a proclamation went forth, 
in the Sicilian language, which called upon the people 
to come and witness the zeal with which the English 
authorities were prepared to protect their lives and pro- 
perties. Large crowds of men, women, and children, 
came together where the scaffold was erected, and three 
cannon-fhot were fired to warn them of the approach of 
the hour which was to close the marauder’s eyes upon 
the world for ever. The first gun gave notice that the 


THE HUSSAR. 


169 


prisoner had quitted his dungeon ; the booming of the 
second told that he had reached the fatal platform ; and 
when the third sent its echoes among the roots of Mount 
Etna, the drop fell. It was a hideous spectacle — for 
the rope being weak, and the man heavy, the former 
gave way, and the wretched creature was taken up, 
bruised from the ground, but quite sensible. A pause 
necessarily occurred ere a fresh rope could be procured, 
and then he ceased to live. 

Strange to say, the effect of this example was so 
slight, that the very same day a man of De Rollc’s, a 
foreign regiment in the English service, was put in con- 
finement for murdering his wife. He had gone home 
from the execution, quarrelled with the poor woman 
about some trifle, and stabbed her to the heart. He, too, 
suffered the penalty which the laws both of God and 
man have awarded to the homicide. Yet the practice 
continued occasionally, amid such aggravations of hor- 
ror, as to chill the blood of those who listened to the 
tale at the moment, and effectually to hinder me from 
adverting to it now. 


VOL.1.— P 


170 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER XVI. 

PROCEED TO MINORCA^ AND THENCB TO SPAIN. 

Such was the order ol' my existence in Sicily for a 
period of many months, during which the 20th Dra* 
goons may be said to have been constantly on duty ; 
till in the summer of 1812, an order reached us to pre- 
pare for more active employment somewhere on the Con- 
tinent. Our preparations were soon completed, and on 
a beautiful day in June we embarked on board of tran- 
sports at Messina, whence we passed round to Melazzo, 
where the rest of the convoy joined us. We never cast 
anchor in the latter road-stead, but kept beating on and 
off, while those at the head of affairs were adjusting 
their plans ; after which the fleet put to sea with a light 
but favourable breeze. 

An agreeable voyage of a few days’ duration carried 
us to Port Mahon, where, in an excelent harbour, the 
ships cast anchor, and a signal was made to land the 
troops. Minorca, it appeared, was the appointed rendez- 
vous for the entire expedition of which the Sicilian army 
formed but a part ; and till the expected reinforcements 
should come up, it was judged expedient to refresh both 
men and horses. Accordingly, on a small island, divided 
from the main by a narrow channel or ferry, we disem- 
barked with all our equipments ; and here for several 
weeks we amused ourselves eating and drinking, and 
exercising the animals, which even a brief confinement 
on board of ship had cramped and stiffened. Neither 
were we hindered from crossing over in our turns to 
Port Mahon, and spending a day among its shops and 
caravansaries^ so that upon the whole the season of inac- 
tivity passed agreeably enough ; and we almost lament- 
ed when it came to a conclusion. 

While we lay in this situation, there occured to me 


THE HUSSAR. 


171 


an adventure, of which, because of certain events that 
befel at a subsequent period, it is necessary that 1 should 
give an account. Like the rest of the serjeants 1 took 
frequent advantage of my position to visit Port Mahon ; 
and, as soldiers are apt to do, found out a good house of 
entertainment, and ifrequented it regularly. I found 
that it was the resort of a young countryman of my own, 
a rewiarkably handsome and intelligent youth, by name 
Conrad Hertendorff, between whom and myself an ac- 
quantance was soon struck up, which ripened by de- 
grees into friendship. Conrade had received an excel- 
lent education, and was possessed of some property. He 
had been brought up to the mercantile profession, and 
was a clerk in one of the chief houses in Gibralter, 
where a young lady, the daughter of an officer of rank, 
belonging to the garrison, won his heart, and gave him 
her own in return. The attachment could not, of 
course, be revealed ; but thg lovers met frequently, and 
something was talked about an elopement, when the 
father of the young lady discovered how matters stood, 
aud put a stop to the courtship. Poor Conrad, in short, 
was obliged to quit the rock, and had in consequence 
repaired to Minorca, where, being an excellent Spani- 
ard, he soon found employment in a counting-house. 
But his mind was unsettled. The routine of a mercan- 
tile life grew odious to him, and he longed for a more 
active occupation. He told me his tale, and then propo- 
sed to enlist in a corps, of wdiich 1 shall have occasion 
to speak more at large by-and-by, and accompany us 
to Spain. As may be imagined, I did not oppose myself 
to an arrangement which at once assured to the army 
an excellent recruit, and gave me the promise of the so- 
ciety of a man for whom I had formed a sincere attach- 
ment. C mrad accompanied me back to my qaarters, 
was gladly accepted by tlie commanding officer, and 
took his place among the Foreign Hussars. 

Meanwhile a large force of Spaniards arrived day by 
day to strengthen us, and a fleet of the most formidable 


172 


THE HUSSAR. 


appearance crowded the harbour ; on board of which, 
so soon as an adequate supply of stores had been laid in, 
we took our stations. The weather was beautiful, 
though intensely hot, and the breezes fair, so that we 
held our course in admirable order, and free from every 
accident, till the bay of Blanes opened out before us. 
The scenery, as we swept over the quiet waters of the 
gulf, became interesting in the extreme. A shelving 
beach, covered with low underwood, and studded in all 
directions with villages, hamlets, and country-houses, 
gave place by degrees to a fine open country, far away 
in the background of which uprose the Pyrenean Moun- 
tains, leaning like dark clouds against the horizon. On 
our right, and within point-blank range ofthe sea, stood 
the castle of Tosa, from the battlements of which the 
French flag was waving ; while sweeping round from 
it we could detect, with the aid of our telescopes, large 
bodies of troops in position. 

There could be no doubt whatever as to the standard 
under which they served. The whole of the district 
was known to be in the enemy’s possession ; and we 
gathered from the spectacle before us, that a disembarka- 
tion effected here would soon bring us into practical 
acquaintance with their system of warfare. 

We steered into the bay slowly and majestically ; for 
the number of vessels, great and small, that composed 
our fleet was prdigious; and having approached as near 
to the shore as the Admiral considered to be prudent, 
we let go our anchors. Neither was anything farther 
attempted that day. We lay perfectly still ; and as we 
W'ere just out of gunshot of the French batteries, and no 
orders were issued of any kind, our sole employment 
consisted in making surveys ofthe beach. It seemed as 
if the enemy had long been jealous of this spot ; for they 
had a formidable army collected when we arrived ; and 
each new hour brought some accession to its strength : 
indeed we could perceive columns of horse and foot 
inarching from every point of the compass towards the 


THE HUSSAR. 


173 


rising ground, on which our original acquaintances 
stood. Now, though willing to give our chiefs credit 
for as much of foresight as attaches to men in general, 
we were not without our misgivings when we beheld 
that all tlie activity manifested was on the side of the 
French. Why this delay in landing? Why wait till 
such a force should be collected in our front, as must 
render the very opening of the campaign a service of 
extreme hazard ? Such were the observations that pass- 
ed from man to man, when that sun set, and another, 
and another, without bringing the expected order to 
disembark ; till by and by the hearts of the bravest be- 
gan to fail them, and we suspected that the whole affair 
would be mismanaged. 

At last, after occupying our anchorage four whole 
days, during which many vessels, which had lagged 
behind, joined us, a signal was hung out from the Admi- 
ral’s ship, that three days’ provisions should be cooked 
and issued to the troops. This was followed by a se- 
cond order for the boats of the fleet to be hoisted out, 
and the landing to be begun as soon after dawn on the 
morrow as circumstances would allow. 

There was some bustle and much rejoicing on board 
our transport, when the signals being interpreted to 
them, the men received instructions to prepare. Pork 
was boiled, biscut measured out, arms inspected, pouches 
stored with ammunition. After which, the horsey be- 
ing dressed as carefully as their straightened berths 
would allow, we lay down in our cloaks. Among us, 
who knew what war was, there was compartively little 
excitement. We understood the importance of going 
fresh into action, and therefore slept soundly. Among 
the young hands it was different ; but upon both class- 
es the dawn came with its accustomed regularity, and 
the trumpets sounded. We sprang to our feet, got up 
our horses, saddled and equipped them for field service, 
and lowered them into the flat boats that were already 
alongside to receive them. Finally, about six o’clock, 
B 2 


174 


THE HUSSAR. 


the Hotilla moved off, and a line was formed with armed 
barges in front, that seemed to stretch well high across 
the bay. 

The sun had by this time risen, and the day being 
calm and bright, we could observe with great exactness 
the preparations which the enemy had made to give 
us a welcome. Along the face of the rising ground, 
in rear of the hamlets, four or five dense columns of in- 
fanlry stood fast, at such distances, the one from the 
other, that they needed but to wheet^up, and a perfect 
line would be formed. In rear of these was a strong 
force of cavalry, the men as yet standing beside their 
horses ; while field-pieces were run forward, and guns 
of a heavier metal showed their muzzles here and there 
from behind a wall or embankment. As yet, however, 
all was quiet. We lay considerably beyond cannon 
shbt. though in momentary expectation of an order to 
pusnbn^; and the enemy appeared too much at home 
in the business in which they were going to be engag’ed, 
to put themselves out of the way unnecessarily. 

At length the signal gun was fired, and the flotilla 
began to advance. It was a magnificent spectacle ; 
and the absolute silence which prevailed, broken only 
by the splashing of the oars in the water, produced 
upon me a very powerful effect. Yet the excitement, 
if such it may be called, of which I was conscious, 
never un maned me for a moment. I continued to 
sweep the French position with my glass, from which, 
by arid by, the uprising of a column of smoke gave 
testimony that they were not indifferent to our proceed- 
ings. They had thrown a shell, which dropped short 
by so wide a space as to call forth a laugh from our 
rowers ; and we pushed on, still preserving our line 
with an accuracy that was very remarkable. 

We had got within the range of their heavy guns, 
the shot from several of which passed over us, when a 
signal from the fleet commanded the flotilla to halt. It 
was obayed, of course ,* and we lay on our oars while 


THE HUSSAR. 


175 


the man-oflwar’s barges and galleys crept on towards 
the shore and began with great diligence to take sound- 
ings. They were saluted both from the beach and from 
the castle with frequent discharges, but paid no regard 
to them, continuing to ply their task not only with dili- 
gence, but as it seemed, very slowly. Our men, there- 
fore, once more betook themselves to the office of specu- 
lating — “ How can this be accounted for ? — What’s 
the matter now ? ” These were the questions which 
became more and more urgent in proportion as the day 
stole on, till, in the end, it was pronounced by many, 
and by myself among the number, that no landing 
would take place that day. Neither were we deceived 
in this opinion. After we had lain till a good portion of 
our prog was consumed, and the intense heat had affect 
ed us rather painfully, a signal of recall was hung out, 
and'the troops returned about five in the afternoon to their 
respective ships. Immediately horses and men were 
taken on board, and all things resumed the appearance 
which had been worn two days previously. 

The plan upon which our Admiral and General had 
acted was excellent. By making a demonstration in 
the gulf of Blanes,they drew thither every squadron and 
battalion of French troops that was disposable, and plac- 
ed them on a plateau, whence it was impossible for 
them to act against the real landing, which had been 
resolved on at a point that was far more accessible. 
Moreover, they had managed matters so well, that not 
till the wind set fair for their true destination, was this 
show of disembarkation made ; and the very same night, 
as soon as darkness had set in, the whole fleet got un- 
der weigh. An eighteen hours’ passage carried us, by 
this means, into the bay of Alicant,and the few French 
troops that lay there, hastily evacuating the place, we 
were all on shore, and organized as a movable army, 
without having sustained the slightest annoyance. 

Alicant, as is well known, used to be a place of con. 
eiderable trade, and is commanded by a citadel, of which, 


176 


THE HUSSAR. 


though they occupied the town, the French had never 
obtained possession. The town is seperated from the 
suburbs by a double wall, built at a time when artillery 
could have been little used in sieges, and, therefore in- 
capable of sustaining the attack of a regular army. 
Nevertheless, it formed no bad appui for the operations 
which we were appointed to conduct, because it supplied 
us with good quarters, and was accesible by the fleet ; 
and our chief. General Maitland, lost no time in avail- 
ing himself of the advantages that were secured to him. 
The French, to be sure, being few in number, and ta- 
ken completely by surprise, did not venture to face us. 
They fell back, on the contrary, .towards Elda and Vin- 
cente, two V illages about six miles distant from the town ; 
while we, establishing our piquets a httle way in advance 
of the walls, underwent that species of organization 
which is^n all cases necessary to fit an army for active 
operations in the field. 

There had been raised in Sicily a corps called the 
Foreign Hussars, an independent squadron, which mus- 
tered about a hundred and twenty men, the natives of 
almost every country under heaven. To the command 
of that body Captain Jacks, of the 20 th, had been ap- 
pointed ; and while we lay in Alicant, 1 saw my name 
in orders, as serjeant-major under him. These foreign- 
ers, with the 20th, and a regiment of Brunswick Hussars, 
constituted the advanced guard of the army, and were 
supported by three regiments of the line of the King’s 
German Legion, a regiment of German Rifles, and a 
strong and most intelligent battalion called the Calabrian 
Free Corps. It was our business, of course, to furnish 
the piquets, and go abroad whenever a reconnoisance 
might be necessary ; and I do not think that 1 deal un- 
fairly by any other troops, when I say that none could 
have performed these duties more accurately. The 
enemy could not make a move, cither in advance or 
retreat, without our observing it. We stole in upon 
them day and night, so as to see with our own eyes 


THE HUSSAR. 


177 


all that they were doing ; and the country people being 
friendly, we were never at a loss for intelligence, which 
rarely failed to be confirmed by the event. We ascer- 
tained, for example, after we had been about a fortnight 
in possession of Alcant, that the enemy were not at 
their ease in Vincente. We pushed them there, though 
delicately, and they retreated; upon which our outposts 
took possession of the ground as they abandoned it, and 
those in rear felt more secure by reason of the wider 
apace that was before them. 

We had been thus circumstanced about a week, when 
intelligence reached us that the enemy were advancing 
in great strength. Crowds of peasents pouring in with 
bundles on their backs, confirmed the rumour ; and the 
outposts received orders to fall back skirmishing, to a 
position outside the walls of Alicant 

Our informants had not deceived us ; for about noon 
on the 18th August, the French appeared in front of 
the piquets, which, acting up to the instructions com- 
municated in the morning, retired skirmishing upon 
the line. By and by the heads of the French columns 
showed themselves in front of the main body , which 
stood to their arms ; and after a short lime spent in ma- 
noeuvring, a cannonade opened, and the battle began. 

The nature of the ground on which we stood w'as 
such as to prevent cavalry from acting, consequently I 
was little more than a spectator of this affair, which 
lasted from two o’clock in the afternoon till dark. The 
French came on with great boldness, and served their 
guns well, but they made no impression. On the con- 
trary, the British line kept advancing, as it seemed, 
quite unconsciously — so that by degrees the whole of 
the field of battle came into our possession. It was 
not, liowever, General Maitland’s policy to hazard any 
desperate movement. He, therefore, held his people 
in hand — and when the sun went down, and darkness 
gathered round us, he caused the firing gradually to 
eease. But we never laid aside our arms. We lay 


178 


THE HUSSAR. 


the whole of that night upon the ground, among the 
dead and the dying ; the latter of whom shocked our 
ears with their piteous moans, and their wild cries for 
water ; — while a storm, which had for some time pre- 
viously been collecting, burst upon us with a degree of 
violence, which reminded me of the rains and thunder 
and lightning that I had witnessed in St. Domingo. 
Now, as we were not permitted to kindle fires, and had 
no covering at all, our plight soon became such as few 
persons need envy, for cloaks and great coats proved 
quite unequal to resist the rain, which came upon us as 
if it had been poured out of buckets. 

It was cheerless enough, crouching under our horses* 
bellies, and seeking by that means to shelter ourselves 
a little ; but I must do my fellow-soldiers the justice to 
state that I heard no grumbling among them. The 
only symtom indeed of dissatisfaction which they ex- 
hibited, was when they thought of to-morrow’s probable 
employment, and they looked at their carbines, saturat- 
ed with wet, and so rendered quite useless. “ Never 
mind,” said one, “ the French are just as badly off as 
we ; and we have still our swords.” “ True,” replied 
another; “ but the French know the country, and we 
don’t ; they are under cover somewhere, depend upon 
it.” Yet when the morrow came, the perfect inutility 
of all this speculation was demostrated. Not a French- 
man could be seen ; they were all gone we knew not 
whither, and we remained masters of the field. 

There had been a good many men killed and wound- 
ed on both sides, and the hospitals became in conse- 
quence a little crowded ; but the circumstance which 
we lamented the most, was the effect of exposure to the 
storm on General Maitland’s health, who was taken so 
ill that he found it necessary to return to England. Ha 
was a kind man, and much liked by the soldiers, to 
whom he had ordered double rations of every descrip- 
tion, in order to console them for the ducking which 
tliey had sustained ; and we lamented his departure as 


• THE HUSSAR. 


179 


well on private grounds as on public. Nevertheless, 
soldiers are not much given to the melting mood : our 
usual good spirits soon came back, and we'made ready, 
under our new chiefs, whosoever they might be, to 
do our duty, amid new scenes, and to play our parts in 
new adventures. 









i 



180 


THE HUSSAft. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

1 MEET WITH A HOSPITABLE PADRONE^ AND HAVE A SKIR.' 

MISH WITH THE ENEMY. 

The retreat of the French not only gave us back all the 
ground which we had occupied with our outposts, pre- 
vious to the attack, but put us in possession of the 
whole of that tract of country which they had before 
held about Elda and Monforte. For finding that they 
had left no piquets about Vincente, we pushed on, with- 
out seeing anything to alarm, lar less to stop us till we 
gained the villages, from which recent events had re- 
moved them. The consequence of this forward move- 
ment on our part was to give something of a noval 
character to our plan of operations. The main body 
no longer crowded in upon Alicant ; but, leaving a suf- 
ficient garrison to do the duty of the place, a new posi- 
tion was taken up in front of the ground which hither- 
to our light troops, or, as they were termed, our corps 
of observation, had occupied. 

We remained thus for some time ; no event of con- 
sequence befalling to disturb us, while fresh regiments 
of Spaniards poured in from all quarters to swell our 
numbers. Of these troops it is but just to state that 
they were well armed, well clothed, and singularly pa- 
tient of fatigue and hardships ; and that when supported 
by British soldiers, they did their duty gallantly. Doubt- 
less the officers were very inferior to ours. They seem- 
ed, indeed, to possess little intelligence ; and as to cou- 
rage, in that respect they fell short of the privates. Yet 
the regiments, as everybody that served with them will 
freely attest, exhibited a good deal of fortitude, under 
circumstances which rnight have shaken the endurance 
even of an Englishman. 

At all events, the arrival of nine thousand armed men. 


THE HUSSAR. 


181 


to enlarge the amount of a force so inconsiderable as 
ours, was not without its moral influence. We derived 
from it an accession of confidence, while, as the event 
showed, it was productive in the enemy of an effect 
diametrically the reverse. We were all sware that be- 
tween our leader and the Duke of Wellington a con- 
stant communication was maintained, and that as long 
as Suchet should act as a covering party to the left of 
that French army to which the Duke was immediately 
opposed, so long it would be our business to keep him 
in play, and hinder him from detaching laigely to the 
northern coast. We were not, therefore, surprised at 
the state of inactivity in which, during the greater part 
of the autumn, we were kept; nor, our quarters being 
upon the whole good, and our supplies ample, did we 
greatly murmur at it. Yet I do not recollect, apart 
from the ordinary incidents of patrolling, more than 
one occurrence during tliis pause in our warlike opera- 
tions which seems to demand notice. The incident in 
question W’'as as follows. 

There w^ere sixteen of our men quartered under my 
orders at a quinta in the neighbourhood of Monforte, 
where our horses were put up in what had originally 
been a couple of apartments on the basement of the 
mansion. The floor of these rooms had once been 
paved with flat stones ; but at the date of our arrival llie 
stones were all dug up, and lay in an enormous heap 
in a corner of the stable. Nothing could exceed tlie 
kindness and hospitality of the Padrone. He had al- 
ways bread and cheese, and wine, at the service of the 
troopers; and so partial did he appear to their society, 
that even during stable hours he was seldom absent from 
them. On these occasions the old man would bring a 
chair into the stable, sit down upon it, and converse on 
all manner of topics; always taking care to have a pig. 
skin of liquor beside him, out of which he supplied his 
new companions with the greatest liberality. 

The men were much struck with the generous tern. 

VoL. I.— Q 


182 


THE HUSSAR. 


per of the landlord,- and still more with the reg-ufarify' 
of his attendance in the stable, which, however, first 
one and then another began to suspect could not origin- 
ate entirely in the disinterested love of their society. 
For they observed that he had no favourite among their 
number. No matter which of them proposed to dress 
bis horse, the Padrone was sure to accompany him ; 
and even at night nobody could go down stairs without 
rousing the old man from his bed. At last it occurred 
to them that perhaps he might have some money buried 
in the stable, and they resolved to search for it. Ac- 
cordingly a spade and pickaxe were smuggled in one 
night, and hidden beneath the heap of stones in the 
corner, while a sharp look-out was kept for the first 
opportunity that might offer of bringing them into- 
play. 

The opportunity came at length : the old man, after 
sitting some time in the stable,- was called out one day 
while the men were feeding — and his back was scarcely 
turned, when they set to work with might and inain„ 
to pull dovm the heap of stones. They were sure that 
the prize, if any there was, would be found beneath 
them ; and the appearance of the earth, which seemed 
to have been recently turned up, satisfied them that 
their surmise was correct. Instantly the spade and 
pickaxe were called into play, and so zealous, as well 
as able, were the workmen, that a hole of considerable 
depth was dug ere the Padrone returned to make his 
remarks on their proceedings — but they discovered 
nothing. Neither could they make a secret of what 
they had been about, for the old fellow’s eyesight was a 
great deal too acute for the awkward attempts which? 
they made to deceive him. 

“ Aha !” cried the Padrone, exultingly, “ is that your 
game? You are all wrong; all upon a false scent. 
Come hither, and I will show you where it lies,” 

So saying, he took the spade ; and leading from its 
stall the horse which stood nearest to the door, be clear- 


THE HUSSAR. 


183 


away the litter from the spot on which its off fore- 
foot must have rested. Then with two strokes of the 
implement he uncovered a flat stone, which he rolled 
aside, and drew from beneath it a watering bucket filled 
to the brim with dollars. This is what you wanted, 
.gentlemen,” said he ; “ but you did not know where to 
search for it Now I did, and I mean to keep it to 
myself.” So saying, the old rascal laughed heartily, 
heaved up the bucket on his shoulder, and walked away 
Moreover, he not only took especial care that the buck^ 
should never again run tlie risk of detection by us, but 
he intermitted from that hour all the little acts of mu- 
nificence in which he had heretofore indulged. We 
saw no more of his bread, nor cheese, nor wine, during 
the remainder of our sojourn ; and though we could not 
help being amused with the result of the whole adven- 
ture, there were those among us who never ceased to 
regret that it had not taken a somewhat different turn. 

The affair of the bucket had occurred about a week, 
when one day a crowd of peasants came in with intel- 
ligence that the French were advancing. Immediately 
the outposts stood to their arms, and while an orderly 
proceeded to the rear to warn the General of his danger, 
dispositions were made to keep the assailants at bay for 
ns long a time as possible. The line of skirmishers was, 
formed on this occasion of German riflemen on the 
right, to whom succeeded a party of the 20t!i Light 
Dragoons 4 next came the piquets of the Calabrian Free 
Corps, with a detachment from the Foreign Hussars ; 
then another piquet of Calabrians, and, supjwrtingthem, 
n half troop of Brunswickers. Tlie supports again con- 
sisted both of horse and foot, under their proper leaders, 
each of whom was of course expected to keep an eye in 
an especial manner on the detachment that belonged to 
his party, and to take care that it was not overpowered. 

I was in command that day of the skirmishers from 
ithe Foreign Hussars, amounting in all to some twenty 
mounted men ; and a captain, whose name it is not 


184 


THE HUSSAR. 


worth while to mention, had charge of the support. 
We were all in high spirits, for we had full confidence 
both in ourselves and in those beside us ; and we knew 
that the main body was prepared to give battle, so soon 
as we should be driven back upon it. The country, 
too, chanced to be particularly favourable for cavalry 
operations. It was a fine open plain, overrun with long 
grass, and only here and there intersected by the fences 
which inclosed a vineyard, or by some open grove of 
myrtle or other low-growing underwood. The weather 
too was most propitious, hot, to be sure, but dry, and 
both men and horses were in the best condition. Though 
the French came on therefore in dense columns, we 
waited for them nothing doubting, and we met the skir- 
mishers, which they threw out in clouds, with all the 
alacrity that could have been desired. 

There was in the service of the French on this side 
of the Peninsula, a regiment of Hussars, called the 4th, 
which consisted almost entirely of Germans, the natives 
of many different states, and far surpassed alt their com- 
petitors in gallantry and intelligence. In the course of 
the war we were often opposed to them, and I do not 
hesitate to say that we held them in greater respect 
than all the rest of Suchet’s cavalry besides ; so perfect- 
ly were they masters of the various arts in which ca- 
valry ought to excel, and so ready at all times to meet 
us in fight or in skirmish. 

To-day, for the first time, we came to contact with 
them, and it was impossible to refuse, to their intre- 
pidity and skill, the tribute of our highest admiration. 
They came on at first, each man sustaining an infantry 
soldier in his stirrup, whom they deposited in his pro- 
per place, fresh and ready for work, and then directing 
their attention exclusively to us, they soon put our met- 
tle to the test. 

Not content to fire their carbines at long shots, they 
would ride fearlessly up to our line of skirmishers, and 


THE HUSSAR. 


185 


«itlter discharge Iheir fire-arms at a few yards distance, 
or close upon us with their swords. 

More than once their skirmishers and ours met hand 
to hand, and it did not always follow that from tlie en- 
counter our trooiiers came off victorious. 

Where all were brave it may appear invidious to par- 
ticularize an individual; but the circumstances of the 
case must plead for me if I err, more especially as the 
gallant fellow of whom I am going to speak, did not 
survive to receive the plaudits which otherwise must 
have been heaped upon liim. He was a serjeant, and so 
confident did he appear to be in his own prowess and 
horsemanship, that without once pausing to ascertain 
whether his comrades might be at hand to support him, 
he rode directly into the heart of our advanced line. 
He then spurred about from man to man, firing at one 
and cutting at another, and calling aloud in excellent 
German for our best swordsman to come forward and 
engage him in single combat. It was impossible not 
to admire the bravery of the man, but it was necessary 
to put an extinguisher on it 

An Irishman, called Mackan, who waited upon me 
as a servant, had the merit of doing so. 

“ Do you see that fellow, Serjeant-Major V* said he 
to me. 

“ To be sure I do, Mackan, and what then ?” 

“ Just wait a bit till he comes again, and the devil’s 
in it, if you and I don’t stop his capering anyhow. 
You ride at him in front, and my name’s not Phil 
Mackan if I fail to give him a crack on the sconce, be- 
fore or beJiind, when he least looks for it.” 

I was amused with Phil’s manner of expressing 
himselli but approved of his arrangements, and accord- 
ingly dashed at my countryman as soon as I conceived 
that he was in such a position as to be at once removed 
beyond the reach of immediate support in his rear, and 
incapable of escaping me. He made no attempt to fly, 
but met me like a man, and we exchanged a cut or two 
Q2 


186 


THE HUSSAR. 


witnoul advantage to either, when Maekan, true to his 
pledge, joined in the fray, and with one blow sent the 
gallant fellow’s head from his shoulders. I never saw 
such a stroke struck in battle. The horse instantly 
bounded forward, and passing within our line, was 
seized by a German rifleman, between whom and us 
who slew the rider the produce of its sale (sixty dollars) 
was afterwards divided. 

But our triumph was not of long continuance; the 
French came on in such numbers that it was impossible 
for us to hold ou? ground, more especially when form- 
ing up they made ready to charge. 

I had heard several bugle calls from the rear, but not 
detecting the sound of our own trumpets, had paid no 
regard to them. I now looked round for the support, 
and my astonishment may be conceived when I dis- 
covered, that right and left of us the skirmishers had 
been called in, and that all, including the party which 
was in some degree answerable for our safety, were 
gone. The officer commanding, it appeared, became so 
convinced of the impossibility of maintaining the com- 
bat any longer, that without so much as pausing to 
warn us of his intentions, he had trotted to the rear. 
What was to be done? It was in vain that we fell back 
by files, loading, and firing, and practised all the or- 
dinary manoeuvres to withstand the enemy’s approach. 
They saw and despised our weakness, for they put 
their horses to the speed, and a whole regiment in line 
bore down upon us. There was nothing for it but to 
turn tail, so away we went helter-skelter to the rear ; 
such as were well mounted getting clear of their pur 
suers; such as were otherwise being cut off and taken 
prisoners. We lost in that flight about sixteen men, 
most of whom were wounded, while the remainder 
came to the ground, which the army occupied, burning 
with rage, and utterly exhausted. For myself 1 was 
quite furious. 

I rode up to the officer who had commanded in my 


THE HUSSAR. 


J87 


rear, and told him that it was his handy-work — adding, 
that I would report him to the Commander-in-chief, if 
other means failed of obtaining satisfaction. He was 
excessively angry, and threatened to cut me down ; but 
I was not to be intimidated. Captain Jacks, however, 
to whom I made the circumstance known, was too hu- 
mane to press the charge ; and my own indignation 
moderating after the first burst had escaped me, I, too, 
was prevailed upon to keep quiet, and the thing was 
forgotten. 

By this time the enemy had approached our position 
in force, and the line being formed, we made ready to 
receive them, our cannon opening with excellent effect 
so soon as the heads of the columns showed themselves. 
But it soon appeared that Suchet had no intention of 
bringing on a general engagement; his sole object was 
to ascertain how we had disposed of ourselves, and 
what strength we might seem to have in his front ; and 
this, after exchanging a few volleys, he seemed to have 
effected, for his people drew gradually out of the field, 
and melted away. Nor did we quit our ground to pur- 
sue, so the enemy retired unmolested. 

For some time after the occurrence of this affair all 
remained comparatively quiet in our immediate front. 
As the enemy gave ground, we, according to custom, 
moved forward, till our piquets were again established 
at Elda and Monforte. As they advanced we fell back 
again, and resumed our old position in front of Alicant. 

I believe, indeed, that an attempt was made to sur- 
prise the castle of Denia, of which, as I was not en- 
gaged in it, I can give no further account than that it 
failed — till the season for active operations wore itself 
out, and we retired into Alicant for winter-quarters. 


288 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE CAMPAIGN OPENS, AND 1 FIND MYSELF IN A SITUATION 
OF SOME TRUST. 

I DO not recollect that there happened during our win- 
ter sojourn in AUcant any event of which it would be 
worth while to give an account. 

We had our piquets out, of course, and we recon- . 
noitred occasionally along all the roads, and went 
through the routine of garrison duty within the walls 
— but of the enemy we saw nothing ; and among the 
inhabitants I was not fortunate enough to form any ac- 
quaintances of whom I at this moment retain a parti- 
cular recollection. Our provisions were good, and 
served out in great abundance. We received pay from 
time to time, though kept for the most part a good deal 
in arrears; and we mixed in the ordinary amusements 
of the place, such as the theatres and other public 
shows. But above all, we continued astonishingly free 
from sickness ; and the best spirit prevailed both 
among men and officers. So passed the winter, till the 
return of spring brought with it, as is usual, prepara- 
tions for a more active life ; and, though the weather 
was unsettled, the army took the field. 

Our first movement was in the direction of Alcoy, a 
populous village, or rather town, beautifully situated be- 
hind some low woody hills, and surrounded by streams 
of water. The French, it appeared, had a detachment 
there, which it was, I have been told, our object to sur- 
prise, and in the attempt to surprise which, a good deal 
of adventure took place. We moved from AUcant late 
one day (if my memory serves me right) in the month 
of February, and arriving at the village of Beira, we 
halted for the night The men and horses were put 
into such quarters as could be found, and the outposts 


THE HUSSAR. 


18 d 


were stationed ; after which I was just going to lie 
down, when Captain Jacks sent for me. I repaired to 
his room, and found with him Lord Frederick Bentinck, 
who said that he had occasion for an intelligent non- 
commissioned officer to be employed upon a particular 
service. I made, of course, no objection to the compli- 
ment which it was his pleasure to pay me, but followed 
him to the house of the Alcalde, where I was, it ap- 
peared, to receive my final instructions. 

We found in the house two Spanish gentlemen, well 
dressed and very good-looking fellows ; they were sit- 
ting by the fire, talking to the Alcalde, who rose to 
salute Lord Frederick when we entered. He made 
some remark to them, which I could not exactly catch, 
and, then turning to me, said, “ I wish you to go with 
these Spaniards in disguise to the front You are not 
to pass the French videttes — neither are they aware 
why I send you with them ; but you must keep your 
eyes wide open and observe all that they do, and make 
a faithful report to me in the morning. Your ostensible 
business will be to look after the mules.” 

I answered, that I would attend carefully to his in- 
structions, and turned round — when I saw that my 
friends were in the act of casting aside their own gar- 
ments, and putting on others, such as the peasantry 
wear, of which a bundle lay in a niche hard by. A 
third suit I soon found had been prepared for me, and 
I followed their example by assuming it. No disguise 
could be more perfect. Our huge hats, brown jackets, 
breeches open at the knee, and leather leggings, gave 
us all the appearance of peasants ; and when our short 
cloaks were wrapped round us, it would have puzzled 
the most prying to detect that we were other than what 
we seemed to be. 

“ Remember,” said Lord Frederick to me, ” you are 
never to open your lips ; — your speech would at once be- 
tray you. But play the dummy. Only take good care 
that nothing escapes you.” 


190 


THE HUSSAR. 


I again promised to keep his orders strictly in view, 
and I and my companions went forward. 

We did not make straight for Alcoy by following the 
main road, but struck into a by-path, which led by our 
letl round some low hills, and began to penetrate through 
the wood with which they were flanked. It was dusk 
when we mounted our mules, and the darkness had 
closed in when about a couple of hours afterwards we 
pulled up beside a lonely cottage. We entered, and 
found there only one old man, who rose from his seat 
to bid us welcome, and produced bread and cheese and 
wine in abundance, with which we refreshed ourselves. 

My companions conversed with him as with an old 
acquaintance. I, bearing Lord Frederick’s admonition 
' in mind, never spoke a word ; and the peasant, either 
because he was acquainted with our secret, or that he 
did not choose to pry into matters that concerned others, 
took no notice of my taciturnity. He was, however, 
just as attentive to our animals as to ourselves. They 
were all pat up under a shed, and got fed with water 
and barley in abundance. 

We sat by the fireside till ten o’clock, when my com- 
panions rose, and each loading himself with a faggot, of 
which about a hundred were packed up against the 
cottage wall outside, threw it over his shoulder upon a 
stick, and walked out. I looked after them, and saw 
that they took the direction of a line of fires, which I 
was at no loss to surmise were those of the French pi- 
quets. They were absent about an hour and a half be- 
fore they returned; and again thrusting their sticks 
each into a faggot, they again departed. This time, 
however, I observed that they did not make directly to 
the front — they diverged considerably to the left, and 
were soon lost to my observation amid the darkness. 

1 walked about a little while, gazing on the half- 
circle of fires which were burning, as it appeared to me, 
scarce a musket shot before me, when the trampling of 
horses’ hoofs caught my ear, and I hastened back to 


THE HUSSAK. 


I9I 


the house. It was, of course, my policy, if I wished to 
avoid detection, to feign sleep ; so I wrapped my brown 
cloak round the lower part of my face, drew my broad- 
brimmed hat over my eyes, and lay down upon a bench 
in front of the fire. I had scarcely done so, when a 
French cavalry patrol entered. I'hey demanded bread 
and wine, and forage for their horses ; but the peasant 
had nothing of the sort to give.* He was a poor plun- 
dered man — the English troops, and his own country- 
men, had alike robbed him in their turns, and now he 
had nothing left in the liouse to supply his own wants. 
They cursed and swore, as was natural, and rummaged 
about to satisfy thei^selves, but found nothing. At last 
one of them approached me, and seizing my head, gave 
it a shake, as if to awaken me. I cannot deny that I 
felt a strange chill come over me when the Frenchman’s 
hand first grasped my hat : but I never lost my presence 
of mind for a moment; and giving a loud grunt, I roll- 
ed heavily round, as if too much overcome by fatigue 
to be easily awakened. The French soldiers laughed, 
and uttered a few oaths, after which they went away, 
and I had, by-and-by, the indescribable satisfaction of 
hearing the trampling of their horses, which grew every 
instant less audible, till in the end it died away. 

So passed the night, to me a somewhat weary one, 
though the issue of the adventure with the French 
Dragoons tended greatly to encourage me; and towards 
morning, but long before dawn, my Spanish friends 
made their appearance. Our mules were immediately 
saddled, and away we went at a brisk trot towards 
Beira. 

We reached it some time after daybreak, and repair- 
ing to the Alcalde’s house gave an account of all that 
we had heard and seen since our departure ; from 
whom I learned that my companions had been em- 
ployed as spies, and that their business was to ascertain 
exactly the position and strength of the French out- 
posts. For this purpose, having nothing else to bring, 


192 


THE HUSSAR 


tiiey had conveyed the faggots to several of the piquets, 
and thereby made themselves masters of the necessary 
information, which they now communicated. The con- 
sequence was, that about two o’clock in the afternoon, 
the troops got under arms, and orders having been is- 
sued that no man should speak a word, we all moved 
forward. 

It was a cold frosty day, the snoW fell in large flakes, 
and the whole face of the country was covered with it, 
indeed there needed but a biting wind in our faces to 
render the discomfort of our situation complete. But, 
happily for us, that was altogether wanting. 

On the contrary, the air was so sttill that each parti- 
cular snow flake retained its round shape as it came to 
the ground, while the effect of the storm was to hinder 
the transmission of sound beyord the narrowest con- 
ceivable distance. All this was in our favour. Neither 
did the General seem disposed to throw away the ad- 
vantage through any misplaced attention to the imme- 
diate comforts of the men. 

We moved on, therefore, silent as the grave, till we 
reached the wood of which I have spoken, as covering 
the low hills behind which Alcoy is situated, and there 
the word was passed to halt, the cavalry to dismount, 
and the infantry to lie upon their arms. I had lieen up 
all the preceding night, and therefore, in spite of the ex- 
cessive cold, experienced such a desire to sleep that I 
could not resist it. I therefore hung my horse’s bridle 
over my wrist, and, wrapping my cloak about me, lay 
down. My sleep was sound and refreshing, but when 
I awoke my helmet and cloak were both so completely 
froxen to the ground that I was obliged to draw my 
head out of the first and my arms from beneath the 
last, and to leave them in ibeir places. Nor was mine 
a singular case — every individual who slept under that 
frost, found himself on awakening in a similar plight, 
and we w^ere forced to let the cloaks lie till the sun had 


THE HUSSAR. 


193 


attained sufficient power to melt the icy cords that 
bound them to the earth. 

I know not how it happened, but if our project really 
included the surprise of the French troops in Alcoy, 
from some cause or other it went wrongf. The outposts 
being fully on the alert retreated on the main body 
skirmisbing, and the whole evacuated the town, almost 
at the moment our advanced parties entered it. On 
the other hand, our arrival among them seemed to oc- 
casion the greatest satisfaction to the Spaniards. Food, 
wine, and corn for the horses — every thing, in short, of 
which we stood in need, was distributed with a liberal 
hand, and many and bitter were the execrations which 
they poured out against the French invaders. 

But it was not our purpose to keep Alcoy. Having 
delayed, therefore, only long enough to perceive, that it 
was a remarkably nice place, well watered, well wooded, 
and famous for its manufacture of paper, we marched 
back to Alicante, and returned once more to our or- 
dinary winter’s employment. 

It was the month of April, 1813, ere the business of 
the campaign can be said to have begun, or an attempt 
was made on either side, seriously to molest the other. 
Then, however, having received considerable reinforce- 
ments, General Murray took the field, and the army ad- 
vanced about twelve miles inland to an admirable posi- 
tion, in front of the town of Castella. Castella itself is 
an old moorish town, with a castle, which at the period 
of our arrival was in ruins — large breaches having been 
effected in the walls, and the interior entirely dis- 
mantled. It stands upon the ridge of a low hill, which, 
stretching away both to the right and left, becomes con- 
nected with other ranges of greater altitude and rugged- 
ness. Those on the right, though scarcely to be called 
mountains, are very precipitous and rocky, while 
through them runs a stream, by damming up which 
you can inundate a large portion of the plain, just in 
front of what would otherwise be the most assailable 
VoL. 1.— R 


194 


THE HUSSAR. 


point in the position. On the left, again, the hills are 
of a different character; though steep they are not 
rocky, and in their faces are cut a series of platforms, 
on which grow extensive vineyards. To be sure, when 
you go beyond the distance of half a mile from the 
town, the country becomes much more rugged, but that 
part on which our left rested was such as I have de- 
scribed — a succession rather of abrupt undulations than 
hills. Moreover, there was a pass through the heart of 
these perfectly level and accessible to wheel carriages, 
which, in the event of a battle, it was obvious would be- 
come an object of very serious attack. 

Here then we halted, and for about ten days or a 
fortnight working parties were abroad continually re- 
pairing the defences of the old castle, and throwing up 
breast-works and batteries wherever they appeared to 
be required. Meanwhile, some strong parties of Span- 
iards joined us, some of which, and especially the 
brigades of Sarsfield and Rodil, were really magnifi- 
cent looking fellows — their clothing being entirely new, 
their arms and appointments complete, and the cavalry 
horses of the very best description that the country af- 
fords. Nor must I omit to mention that both they and 
their artillery, of which half a brigade served with Sir 
John Murray’s army, did excellent service when they 
were brought into collision with the enemy though 
acting as they did on a theatre apart from ours, we had 
few opportunities of witnessing their valour. But the 
few which were presented left behind an impression the 
reverse of unfavourable to Spanish courage : they might 
not possess the chivalrous daring of the French ; they 
were certainly behind the English in obstinate endu- 
rance, but they were spirited and enterprising, and if 
judiciously commanded might be rendered as good 
troops as any in the world. 

In this manner we employed ourselves till the second 
week in April, no enemy appearing in our front, nor 
any certain intelligence respecting either their positions 


THE HUSSAR. 


195 


or designs being received. The General then deter- 
mined to push forward a reconnoilering party of which 
the command was given to a brilliant officer, Colonel 
Adam. The party in question consisted of detach- 
ments from the Foreign Hussars, the Brunswick Hus- 
sars, and the 20th Light Dragoons, amounting in all 
to some four hundred sabres. There were, besides, the 
German Riflemen, the Calabrian Free Corps, and two 
mountain guns, the whole of which began their march 
in the highest possible spirits : for nothing could exceed 
the beauty of the scene, and men and horses were in 
high health, and fit for almost any act of exertion. The 
sun shone bright, and the face of the country, refreshed 
by the winter’s rains, was one sheet of brilliant green. 
The vines were putting out their new shoots, and the 
olive-trees were in full leaf. It was altogther one of the 
most agreeable excursions in which I had ever taken 
part, so that to the present hour the image of it is fresh 
in my memory. 

Our march that day was very short, for it was late 
ere we quitted the position, and we passed the night in 
the village of Beira, among the avenues and folds adja- 
cent. Next morning \ve resumed our route, and ar- 
riving by and by in the town of Vallena, we found it 
filled with Spanish troops, both cavalry and infantry ; 
and as it seemed, recently put into a posture of defence. 
For Vallena, like most of the towns in this province ot 
Spain, was surrounded by a lofty wall, which bore 
marks of having been newly repaired, banqueted and 
battlemented ; while the old gates turned upon their 
hinges to give us the admission, which they were de- 
signed to refuse to an enemy. 

We halted here for a brief space merely to refresh 
the men, and to strenghten ourselves with the addition 
of a battalion of Spanish infantry, and then resuming 
our progress, we soon reached the brow of an emi- 
nence, from which on all sides the panorama was mag- 
nificent. 


196 


THE HUSSAR. 


Before us lay the great plain of Vallena, stretching 
far to the north, and covered wherever the eye could 
reach, with the most luxuriant herbage. On the left, 
though removed to a considerable distance, was a range 
of lofty mountains, which came down gradually into 
the level, and lost themselves in a succession of gentle 
undulations. Northward, too, was another range, but 
so remote, that only the broad outlines could be discern- 
ed ; while on the right there seemed no termination to 
the level, which a slight rise here and there served only 
to diversify, by no means to interrupt. Yet extensive as 
was the range given to the eye, not a trace of the French 
army could be discerned in any direction. Our leader, 
it was said, had heard of their moving ; and certain 
fugitives from Yecla brought in a rumour of their 
having cut to pieces a division of General Elio’s Spanish 
corps, which had been imprudently left there. 

Yet though Yecla was but six leagues from Vellena, 
and the action, if fought at all, must have been fought 
on the night, there was no symptom of a desire on 
Suchet’s part to push his advantage farther. Neverthe- 
less, the purpose of our expedition was to obtain infor- 
mation and Colonel Adam was determined not to go 
back without it; so, after a brief pause upon the brow 
of the last hill, the word was given to march, and we 
descended into the plain. 

On we went, using all the precautions customary 
among people that are placed in our situation. The cav- 
airy were in front, preceded by scouts and skirmishers ; 
while both flanks were covered by riflemen. Then 
came the mountain guns, slung across the mules ; next, 
the Calabrian free corps ; then the Spaniards ; and, last 
of all, the German riflemen, who likewise furnished a 
rear guard. On, then, we went — no enemy showing 
himself — no dust rising — nor any peasant meeting 
us by the way from whom we might obtain informa 
tion. 

At last, as we drew towards the line of the low hills of 


THE HUSSAR 


197 


which I have spoken as closing in this prodigious plain 
on the left, Colonel Adam gave orders to halt ; while 
parties of horse and foot should advance to examine 
with care the valleys that in great numbers intersected 
them. Accordingly, the cavalry dismounted, the in- 
fantry piled their arms, and we addressed ourselves with 
good will (for it was about ten o’clock in the forenoon) 
to such supplies of food and wine as our canteens and 
haversacks could furnish. 

We had scarcely begun to make ourselves comforta- 
ble, when bang came the report of a pistol from the 
scouts. We looked round, and saw the cavalry, who 
were farthest in advance, firing their carbines, and re- 
treating upon the infantry, which in like manner began 
to give ground. In an instant the word was passed — 
“ Stand to your arms !” — and the column was formed 
again in almost less time than it may take the reader to 
follow iny description of the movement. 

Still, as the cause of this alarm was not yet manifest, 
Colonel Adam would not abandon his ground. “ We 
must see what they look like,” said he. “ It’s no use 
going back with a cock-and-a-bull story : it will be time 
enough to retire when we have ascertained the amount 
of force that threatens us.” And in this respect we 
were not long left in the dark. The scouts which had 
at first fallen back slowly, now began to gallop towards 
us. The infantry happily for themselves, had a good 
start — when, all at once, the rising grounds, which it 
had been their business to examine, became covered 
with French Iroops. Dense columns, both of horse 
and foot, were moving, from which detached parties 
were thrown out — with the design, as it appeared, of 
preserving the communication between the head of one 
arid that of another. Now, then, it was indeed high 
time for us to be off.” “ We shall fall back, my lads,” 
said Colonel Adam, with all the coolness in the world; 

* but we shall do so at our leisure. We were not sent 
liere to fight — but the rascals shan’t have it to say that 
R2 


THE HUSSAR. 


1 98 

we ran away from them. So, keep your ranks, and 
move steadily : no fear but that we keep thetn 

from pressing us.” Our men perfectly understood, and 
acted up to these instructions ; so that the whole of the 
retreat, as far as Vallena, was as orderly as a movement 
at a field-day. 


THE^ HUSSAR. 


199 


CHAPTER XIX. 

SOME ADVENTURER IN A CHAPEL, PRECEDED BY OTHERS OP 
A DIFFERENT KIND. 

The French came on with great boldness. Their num- 
hers were so superior to ours, that to have waited for 
them would have convicted our leader of insanity. In- 
deed it is not going too far to assert that almost any 
other troops would have been hurried by their fears into 
irretrievable confusion ; so that the retreat must have 
been converted almost immediately into a flight. It 
was not so, however, with us. Our column marched 
rapidly, doubtless, but it never once broke into a run; 
and as to stragglers, not one was left behind. For our 
rear guard did their duty gallantly. There was no 
end to the skirmishing as well with infantry as with 
cavalry, nor any limits to the devoted heroism which 
individuals displayed ; while slowly, and keeping our 
faces constantly towards them, we gave ground, till the 
walls of Vallena were before us. 

It was late in the evening when we came in sight of 
the town, which was so situated, that to pass it both to 
the right and left would have been the easiest thing in 
the world. Colonel Adam, however, willing to engage 
the Frencli in such a struggle as would afford to his 
jaded troops leisure for breathing, marched into the 
town ; while the Spaniards, manning the battlements, 
opened upon the pursuers such a fire as effectually ar- 
rested their progress. 

In Vallena, however, we made no halt. It was our 
business, having ascertained exactly how the enemy 
were situated, to return as soon as possible, and with 
as little loss as might be to the main body ; consequent- 
ly, taking with us the mass of the Spanish division, and 
leaving in the place only men enough to hold it, we 


200 


THE HUSSAR 


marched out in the direction of Castella, carrying all 
our wounded along with us. But the night was by 
this time closing fast, and the face of the heavens be- 
came obscured by quantities of black clouds. By 
and by, a few drops of rain fell, which were followed 
soon afterwards by a furious, thunder storm, and the 
showers which succeeded were of such a nature as to 
penetrate through cloaks, coats — I had almost said 
skins — in a moment. Under these circumstances, and 
finding his people begin to fall out. Colonel Adam did 
not consider it wise to proceed too far, so he halted 
about Beira, the head-quarters and general staff occupy 
ing the village — the troops, and especially the rear 
guard to which I was attached, bivouacing in the open 
fields, or finding what shelter they could in such huts 
and cabins as might be scattered near the ground which 
they were directed to maintain. 

The Foreign Hussars, among their other admirable 
qualities as soldiers, were famous for discovering for 
themselves and their horses quarters somehow or other, 
wherever they might chance to serve. 

To-night the prospect at first halting seemed gloomy 
enough ; for there was neither cottage nor farm-house 
near, and the olive plantations, though they might have 
done very well in a calm night, presented few attrac- 
tions under the peltings of such a pitiless storm. At 
last after looking hither and thither for some time to no 
purpose, one of the men discovered a lonely chapeh 
planted at the skirt of a wood, and at the bottom of a 
ravine a little way removed from the road. Thither in 
a moment the whole squadron moved and bursting open 
the door, we soon found ourselves under the shelter oF 
a roof, sufficiently umbrageous to sheild us all from the 
violence of the rain. There was a lamp burning, a. 
perpetual lamp, which was suspended from the ceiling, 
the feeble light of which sufficed to make us aware that 
quantities of wax candles stood on the four altars,, 
which in different parts of the building were erected.. — 


THE HUSSAR. 


201 


No time was lost in applying to each of these a rnatch^ 
so that in five seconds the chapel was lighted up as if 
for some high festival. 

And then followed a scene abundantly characteristic 
of the ravage of war, and the manners of those that 
wage them. The chapel was full of chairs, set there 
of course, for the accommodation of the worshippers. 
We had no use for these, so they were cast out without 
the smallest ceremony into the open air ; while men 
and horses entered without hesitation, and all found 
room to bestow themselves. 

This done, we began, as was natural, to look round 
us ; and the first thought being about money, a sharp 
eye was cast into every corner where we supposed it 
possible that treasure or plate might be secreted. Tho 
poor’s-box, I blush to confess, was broken open in an 
instant, and its contents, be they abundant or otherwise, 
wfere soon divided among the spoilers. Then came a 
hunt far and near for the cupboard, in which the church 
plate might be concealed. Yet, — let justice be done to 
the Foreign Hussars — no violence was offered either to 
the decorations of the altars, or to the priests’ vest- 
rnents; though the latter, being found, were turned over 
and over with great care, ere they were restored to the 
place from which the first discoveries had drawn them. 

The chapel, of which we had thus taken possession, 
was dedicated to St. Eustatius, of whom an enormous 
wooden statue, about six feet three inches in height, 
surmounted the principal altar. It was curiously 
carved, in long flowing robes ; but it was the counte- 
nance of the image that most powerfully arrested our 
attention, and drew towards it the wondering gaze of 
every individual within the walls. 

The hair of the image — for it had a wig — was black. 
There was a black beard and mustachios; the cheeks 
were coloured with vennillion, and, above all, the eyes 
were dark, brilliant, and most expressive. Go where 
you would, indeed, the eye of the Saint seemed to be 


202 


THE HUSSAR. 


upon you^ so that there were not wanting those among 
us over whom, as they gazed upon his countenance, a 
feeling almost of superstitious awe gained an ascend- 
ancy. The majority, however, after cracking their 
jokes upon his reverence, resumed their search, which 
introduced them into the vestry, exactly in the rear of 
the Saint, and of the altar upon which he was planted. 
We examined that little apartment carefully ; but having 
discovered nothing of which we were in search, we 
were about to return to the chapel when a shout from 
one of the party caused us to look round : he beckoned us 
to join him, in doing which we ascertained that he had 
just detected a door, in the wall adjoining the altar, of 
very small size, and so artfully constructed, that by 
other eyes than our own, it would have escaped detec- 
tion. We directed alt our attention forthwith to ascer- 
tain by what means the door was to be opened, but we 
failed. There was neither lock nor handle, so we 
adopted the approved method of allaying curiosity in 
such cases and burst it open. We hoped to find some 
hidden treasure, but we found only the source of it ; for 
the aperture introduced us to the hollow interior of the 
statue, down which two strings were dangling. These, 
of course, we began to pull, when the Saint rolled his 
eyes about in the most extraordinary manner, to the 
great astonishment, at first, and eventually amid the 
laughter ot those who from the chapel side watched the 
proceeding. Nor did our researches end here : one 
after another we insinuated ourselves into the Saints 
interior — and the cause of many a miracle, with the 
fame of which the whole valley of Vallena rung, was 
made inaifest to us. 

Following the course of these strings, each of which 
we ascertained was attached to one of the Saint’s eyes, 
we became aware that the eyes themselves were made 
of glass, and that, in the very centre where the pupil 
lay, both were slightly perforated. Moreover, the eye 
was so constructed that it could contain a small quanti- 


THE ^USSAR. 203 

ty of water, which, by pulling the strings, was forced 
through the aperture — a mighty source of wealth to 
the priests who performed mass in this chapel, and the 
cause of no slight honour to the Saint himself. For 
once in every year, as we learned tliat very night, pil- 
grims from all quarters, not only near at hand, but far 
distant, were aecustomed to repair to his shrine ; and, 
bringing with them offerings of money, wine, oil, and 
merchandise of all sorts, to ask his intercession for the 
pardon of their sins, and their reconciliation to their 
Maker. It did not always follow that the Saint would 
listen to their prayer. If the offering happened to be 
of small value, or they were known to be rich, and 
likely to come again, the Saint would give no proof that 
he heard them, lor the first and second, and sometimes 
the third time. But, sooner or later, provided they were 
sufficiently liberal, he was sure to deal liberally by them, 
when, as their reward, he shed tears, on the falling of 
which the bells rang, the host was elevated, and there 
was as much rejoicing as if some great national victory 
had been achieved. 

We were assured by our informants, that at times 
as many as a thousand votaries would be on their knees, 
at the same instant, some in the chapel itself, others in 
the field beside it ; and such was the reputation of the 
Saint, that in all that quarter of Spain, none had so 
many worshippers, or such liberal offerings presented to 
him. 

The movements of the Saint’s eyes, so soon as the 
cause came to be known, produced, as may be imagined, 
extraordinary merriment among the soldiers, in which 
the officers joined heartily, and we played at Punchi- 
nello with his wooden holiness till tlie strings broke. — 
Then were our hands employed to produce the effect 
which machinery had heretofore brought about; when 
all at once there arose a cry, Here comes the priests !” 
and we, who had hitherto acted as showmen, made all 
the haste we could to escape detection. We leaped 


204 


THE HUSSAR, 


from the altar, and closed the secret door ; bat having" 
broken the lock, we could not, of course, fasten it, so 
we ran out of the vestry to watch among the crowd 
what consequences would follow. 

We had scarcely taken our stations when the chapel- 
door flew open, and half-a-dozen priests, followed by a 
crowd of old men, women, and children, entered. — 
Among us the most profound silence prevailed ; we 
squeezed our lips with our fingers, to suppress the titter 
that rose to them, while, with hands upraised, and every 
other demonstration of horror, the procession moved 
forward. As to the priests, their care was directed im- 
mediately towards their tutelar saint. They ran into 
the vestry, and ascertaining in a trice that their secret 
had been found out, they burst into the wildest excla- 
mations of grief ard anger. But their cunning was 
not even now at fault. The church bier was brought 
hastily forward. In ihe twinkling of an eye the image 
was taken down from the altar, and, laying him upon 
the bier, and covering him with a white cloth, they 
raised a cry that might have awaked the dead. The 
Saint, the altar, the chapel, and every thing pertaining 
to it, had been profaned by the presence of these here- 
tics. “ What could they do — what was to become of 
the country ? But one thing was quite certain — it was ne- 
cessary, if they hoped to escape the vengeance of Hea- 
ven, that the Saint himself should be removed else, 
where.” Accordingly, the bier was lifted from the 
ground, and, amid weeping and howling, the priests 
bore him off, followed by their blinded dupes, all of 
them in tears. It was from some of these persons that 
my friend Conrad Hettendorff obtained all the informa- 
tion which I have given above; and, as the poor people 
spoke in the very bitterness of their hearts, I see no 
reason to doubt that they spoke truth. 

The Saint being gone, and our curiosity in other 
matters satisfied, we lay down upon the floor, and, in 
spite of our wet clothes, obtained a few hours’ sleep, 


THE HUSSAR. 


209 


which refreshed us exceedingly. We were mounted^ 
and in our stations, of course, an hour before dawn, 
which, indeed, was the more necessary; for in the 
course of the night the French got possession of Val- 
Icna, and our position lay distant from the town scarce- 
ly two miles. We could hear their drums and trumpets 
calling them to arms, almost at the same moment that 
we threw ourselves into our saddles. It was broad 
daylight, however, before they advanced, and our posi- 
tion, on the rise of a well wooded eminence, covered on 
both flanks by ravines of a considerable depth, prompted 
Colonel Adam, in the spirit of the instructions which 
he had received at the commencement of his expedi- 
tion, to wait for them. They came on with the utmost 
resolution. Their skirmishers, thrown out in clouds, 
bore hard upon our light troops, and forced them to 
give ground ; and then the opposing lines came into play. 

For ourselves, (I speak of the handful of cavalry), 
we were riding about continually ; now making a move- 
ment, as if to meet the enemy when threatening a 
charge ; now scattering into detached files ; till our 
horses, having fared badly through the previous night, 
began to manifest such symptoms of fatigue, that it 
became necessary to spare them as much as possible. — 
It was at this juncture that Colonel Adam received a 
musket-ball through the fleshy part of his arm, and 
withdrew for a brief space to the rear. But he was 
soon at his station again, having his coat cut open, and 
carrying the wounded limb in a sling; in which plight 
he continued to issue his orders, and show himself, 
wherever his presence appeared most requisite, with as 
much composure as if he had been directing the move- 
ments of a brigade on some parade-ground in England. 

We made a stout resistance ; but the odds were fear- 
fully against us, and we lost ground eontinually, multi- 
tudes dropping both from our ranks, and the ranks of 
the French, never to rise again. At length they won 
the crest of the hill, upon which our two mountain 

VoL. 1.— S 


206 


THE HUSSAR. 


guns, after having been fought with incredible courage 
to the last, were abandoned. When the enemy saw 
they had taken our cannon, they raised a shout of tri- 
umph ; and pouring down the slope, made as if they 
would have destroy ..d us at a single rush. But we met 
them, as we had hitherto done, with a well-directed 
fire, which checked their ardour, so much as to afford 
time for the formation of a new line on the ridge of 
another eminence that lay beyond the valley. By this 
time, however, the main body of our army was disco- 
vered drawn up in the best order, as it seemed waiting 
for the attack. The French, therefore, abated from 
pressing us farther ; and we were permitted to march 
back at an easy pace, and to assume our proper stations 
in the line without being molested. 

It was something past noon, when spent with toil, 
and covered with dust and sweat, the Foreign Hussars 
drew up in rear of a couple of guns which crowned a 
height in the centre of the position. 

If it had been the General’s design to plant us where 
we might obtain a distinct view of the arrangements of 
both parties, he could not have selected a more conveni- 
ent spot, for from the brow of the hill I w’as enabled to 
see to the extremities which flanked our position, as 
well as to observe all the enemy’s manceuvres, which 
were neither few nor little varied. For a space of two 
hours or something more, they closely reconnoitred us. 
Halting just out of cannon-shot, they brought up a 
heavy column of infantry to oppose our centre ; their 
cavalry, which was numerous, swept away in one mass 
towards the right, seeking for some open space through 
which to approach us, and expecting to find it where 
the heights of Castella dropped down into thC plain. — 
On that side, however, the waters of the river had been 
damned up, and now tlie entire surface of tlie level, be- 
ing covered by the inundation, presented the appearance 
of a vast lake. By and by, therefore, as if satisfied 
that nothing was to be done there, the larger portion of 


THE HUSSAR. 


207 


the French horse returned, and again, doubtless with a 
view to intimidate us, rode leisurely along our front in 
a solid and yet deep column. Then followed masses 
of infantry with guns, which, filingoto our left, showed 
in some measure on what point th^storm would burst, 
and warned our General that in hoping his strength 
upon the centre he had miscalculated the 

chances. But this error, if such it may be called, was 
not of so serious a nature but that it could be rectified 
at almost any given moment, for the gorge on our left 
was well blocked up with cannon, and several battalions 
of tried infantry were at hand to support them. 

It was now two o’clock, and as yet not a shot had 
been fired, when suddenly a swarm of French Tirail- 
leurs, whom we had observed spreading themselves 
among the underwood in front of our centre, began to 
move forward. Two heavy columns moved slowly as 
if to support them, and a battery of six or eight pieces 
being brought within range, opened upon us first with 
round, and by and by with grape-shot. 

The Tirailleurs were met in gallant style by our ri- 
flemen and light infantry, and a sharp skirmish ensued, 
but there was nothing more than a skirmish. The 
columns shifted their ground, indeed, more than once, 
but they did not deploy, and the officers took good care 
nof to bring them under the fire of our line. It was 
difterent on the extreme lefl. There, a furious discharge 
of cannon and musketry gave notice that a formidable 
attack was in progress, and the length of time during 
which it was sustained left no room to doubt that it 
was pushed with all imaginable vigour. 

Thrice, and on each occasion, with numbers largely 
increased, the enemy charged the position, and thrice 
the admirable practice of the artillery, with the obsti- 
nate courage of the infantry, drove them back. But 
now a fourth assault was menaced, and an order ar- 
rived for the Hussars to move to the support of their 


208 


THE hussar. 


comrades, who had been so long and so obstinately en- 
gaged. 

We left the two guns which we had hitherto guarded 
to the protection of some of the 20th, and riding along 
the rear of the position were moved up into a hollow 
between two heights, so as to be as much as possible 
protected from the fire of the enemy’s guns. For their 
artillery no sooner saw us in motion than they opened 
upon us, and keeping the range with tolerable accuracy, 
they ceased not to throw both shot and shell about us, 
even when we were partially covered by the elbow of 
the hill. 

All, however, with a single exception, either fell 
short or flew over, and that a ball from an eight-pound- 
er took effect only on ajiorse. It struck him full in 
the chest, upon which the poor animal reared up, sprang 
into the air, and fell dead upon his side. Captain 
Jacks observing this, directed us to move a little farther 
to the left, where the ground was broken ; remarking, 
that if they did observe our change of position, they 
would at least be obliged, to take a new elevation with 
their guns, and to find out the right one. And well it 
was for me that this flank movement was made. I was 
in the right of the troop, a few yards detached from the 
men, and so sharp was my horse’s appetite, that he 
gnawed the bark from off* a young olive tree that stood 
in my front. I had not taken three paces fi:om the 
tree when a round shot struck it, and shivered it to 
atoms. But the moment was close at hand, when even 
this escape, narrow as it unquestionably was, ceased to 
be thought of. The enemy had charged again, they 
were again repulsed, and now the word passed for the 
cavalry to dash forward, and do as much mischief as 
possible to the disordered and flying columns, 

I have already described the nature of the heights 
on which our left rested. They were steep downs, cut 
out into platform or terrace, on each of which grew a 
plantation of vines, with here and there a few olive trees. 


THE HUSSAR. 


209 


It was our business, of course, to keep as much as 
possible under cover — not only because by so doing we 
should escape a portion of the enemy’s fire, but because 
by breaking out upon them in a moment when they 
were not prepared for us, our opportunities of doing 
them damage would be increased. 

In order to accomplish these two ends. Captain Jacks 
led us along the edge of the hill on our left, from which 
we were forced to descend gradually into the plain be- 
low, by leaping our horses from one terrace to another. 
The effect of these jumps upon animals, already work- 
ed well nigh beyond their strength, was to exhaust them 
thoroughly ; while upon us the nature of our position 
soon brought a terrible salutation. Though some of 
the French infantry were in the plain and in great dis- 
order, a still larger number continued still to crown the 
hills, which they were obliged to cross for the purpose 
of escaping from the fire of our artillery. These no 
sooner beheld us below them, than they opened such a 
fusillade as to make the most practised among us ask 
himself the question, whether he had ever stood under a 
musketry fire before. Men dropped from their horses 
— horses fell beneath their riders ; and some who held 
their course received impressions which were never ef- 
faced to their dying day. Of these there was near me 
one, through whose lower jaw a musket ball passed, 
carrying away some of the teeth, and coming out at 
his throat. Ho kept his seat, and was induced to quit 
the field only by perceiving that he ran the risk of be- 
ing suffocated in his own blood. 

We gained the level at length, and then, although 
our horses were cruelly spent, we rushed forward sword 
in hand, determined to take vengeance for the loss 
which we had sustained. Our charge was completely 
successful. The broken enemy could make but little 
resistance, and we secured about a hundred prisoners ; 
with whom, finding the fire grow' more and more hot, 
we endeavoured to make our way back to the line. — 
S2 


210 


THE HUSSAR 


But ere we could reach it the French brought some 
cannon to bear, and threw upon us such a shower of 
cannister, as to shake us greatly ; while our weared 
horses refused to go beyond a walk, and we saw a regi- 
ment of cavalry hurrying forward to charge. So cir- 
cumstanced, we felt that in order to take care of our- 
selves, it would be necessary to abandon our prisoners ; 
and these being allowed to steal away by fives and sixes 
at a time, soon left us nothing to provide for except our 
own safety. Conrad and I, however, had secured two 
fellows whom w’e were exceedingly reluctant to aban- 
don. One was a serjeant, who wore a silver chain 
across his shoulder, and produced a watch, which, I re- 
gret to say, we had no time to take from him ; the other 
was a drummer, who carried on his back two drums. 
These we compelled to accompany us, till the storm 
grew so furious that we could not carry them further. 

We told them to shift for themselves, and the mode 
in which they showed their gratitude was, to snatch a 
couple of muskets from the ground and discharge them 
after us. 

“ What fools we were,” said I to Conrad, “ not to 
stop these rascals firing !” 

“ We’ll be wiser next time,” replied he ; after which, 
having happily escaped without a wound, we rejoined 
the squadron, and took up our old position. 

Our horses were yet panting with their recent exer- 
tions, and ourselves leaning on pommels of our saddles, 
when Sir John Murray rode up, and praising us for our 
gallantry, called aloud, “ You must be at them again. 
Hussars. They must not escape in this way. See, 
here comes the 20th. Show them that, though you 
have had all the toil of the day, they shan’t leave you 
behind.” 

We answered with a cheer, and bearing our horses 
up as well as we could, in five minutes we were once 
more in the heart of the French infantry; upon whom, 
the officer commanding, led us and the 20th straight 


THE HUSSAR. 


211 


down the ravine. The carnage was dreadful, and the 
prisoners taken amounted to more than double the 
number which on a previous occasion we had secured. 
As 'Providence would have it, our Iriends, the serjeant 
and the drummer, fell again into Conrad’s hands and 
mine. Our blood was hot ; we remembered their treach- 
erous and cruel act, and we slew them where they 
stood. I thought at the moment they richly merited 
their fate, and I think so still. 

At the same time a hearty cheer caused us to 
look about, and we beheld the whole line of British in- 
fantry advancing with levelled bayonets down the slope, 
before whom the enemy were fleeing in the utmost con- 
fusion, while over their heads our own cannon continued 
to fire. This was the last that I could distinguish of 
the battle, for it was already dark when we made our 
charge, and night set in so rapidly that we were com- 
pelled, in order to secure the prisoners already taken, to 
check the pursuit. In like manner the fire both of can- 
non and musketry ceased, and the troops were directed 
to lie upon their arms, each squadron and company on 
the exact spot which it occupied when the battle ended. 


THE HUSSAK. 


21:2 


CHAPTER XX. 

WE LAY SIEGE TO TARRAGONA, AND ACQUIRE LITTLE 
HONOUR BY THE UNDERTAKING. 

Never has an order to halt arrived either to man or 
beast more seasonably than this, for I may say with 
truth, that during two whole days, we had been con- 
tinually marching, without being allowed as much of 
time or leisure as would suffice to allay the common 
wants of nature. 

Fortunately, too, there were issued out both provis- 
ions for the men and forage for the animals j the latter 
being to the full as much needed as the former ; after 
consuming which we threw ourselves on the ground in 
our cloaks and closed our eyes. But in spite of the 
fiitigue of which I was conscious, I could not for some 
time compose myself to sleep. Around me on every 
side lay numbers, not only of dead but of wounded 
men, whose cries, heard distinctly in the stillness of a 
calm night, were very shocking. It was to no purpose 
that I turned first on one side and then on the other, or 
burying my head in my cloak strove to shut out the 
sound ; it was still in my ears, and coming upon the 
back of the excitement occasioned by so desperate a 
struggle, it was more than a match for weariness. At 
last, however, one of the parties whom our medical 
staff employed to search the field for such as might be 
exposed upon it, drew towards me, and 1 pointed out a 
little group of wounded men whom they removed. I 
was greatly relieved when I saw them depart, and then 
looking up towards the clear blue sky, I thanked my 
Creator for having preserved me, lay down beside my 
jaded horse and slept soundly. 

We lay down that night in the confident expectation 
that the morrow would witness a renewal of the com- 


THE HUSSAR. 


213 


bat, for the enemy though repulsed on all points were 
both numerous and daring, and we believed that if they 
failed to attack us, we should be the assailants. 

But the dawn of day gave proof that we had erred 
in our calculations. Not a Frenchman was to be seen ; 
and the patrols which were immediately pushed for- 
ward reported that the line of their retreat was marked 
by the dead and dying, which they had left by the road- 
side. Immediately there came an order to mount and 
follow. We obeyed it of course, but we never overtook 
the fugitives, and after a sojourn of some days In the 
neighbourhood of Alcoy, we retraced our steps and 
took up our old position at Castella. 

We remained here in a state of apparent inactivity, 
till the month of May was far advanced, when the camp 
was suddenly broken up and the whole army marched 
back to Alicante. 

A secret expedition, it appeared, against some point 
nearer to the frontier had been a good while in con- 
templation, and as it would have been unsafe to march 
by land in the face of so great a superiority of strength 
as the enemy were understood to possess, a movement 
by sea was resolved upon. 

Neither were we long kept in the dark as to the pre- 
cise object of our intended expedition. The troops 
being removed on board of ship with a large train of 
artillery both for siege and field operations, the fleet put 
to sea for the avowed purpose of attacking Tarragona, 
one of the strongest if not the strongest place along the 
whole of the wes-tern coast of Spain. 

A pleasant passage of some hours’ continuance car- 
ried us round the coast of Catalonia, till we entered the 
mouth of the noble harbour of Tarragona, and beheld 
the city and castle, hotli of prodigious strength, rising 
above it. Built upon a rock and fortified with all the 
skill and care of which the site appears to have been 
capable, it presented a very formidable front; and at 
tlie period when we made our appearance in the bay, 


214 


THE HUSSAR. 


was occapied by a French garrison, perfectly capable, 
both from numbers and discipline, to maintain it to the 
last extremity. Moreover, the whole of the surrounding 
country may be said to have been in the enemy’s pos- 
session. It is true that bands of armed Spaniards 
prowled about among the hills, cutting off convoys and 
harrassing the march of weak detachments. But Mar- 
shal Suchet was, to the utmost extent of the phrase, in 
military occupation of the province, and had under his 
orders an army far surpassing that with which it was 
purposed, on our side, to undertake the siege of this 
second Gibraltar. 

Under such circumstances, it seemed the object policy 
of our leaders not to land a greater amount of stores 
and ammunition than might be required for daily con- 
sumption, because the anchorage was a safe one, and 
the space between it and the beach not so extensive as 
to render our communication insecure at any moment; 
yet our chiefs were of a different opinion, and the con- 
sequences, as I shall have occasion by and by to point 
out, proved unusually disastrous. 

Besides the heavy sea batteries that co\ ered Tarra- 
gona itself, there was a small fort on the left of the 
bay, of which it was considered necessary to obtain 
possession, for the purpose of rendering the communi- 
cation between the shipping and the camp at once safe 
and commodious. The task of reducing it was un- 
dertaken by Admiral Hallowell and his seamen and 
marines ; and so gallant was their bearing, that in the 
course of a single night, after some bombarding from 
tlie ships of war, it was carried by assault. Mean- 
while the troops with a large train of battering guns, 
and an enormous quantity of shot, shell, powder, beef, 
biscuit, and hospital stores were conveyed, as rapidly as 
the means of transport would allow, to the shore. No 
opposition was offered by the French, neither indeed 
could such have availed them ; for the beach was open, 
and the guns of our lighter craft swept it far and near* 


THE HUSSAR. 


215 


80 that witliout the occurrence of any casuality, the 
whole force reached the land, and the investment of Tar- 
ragona was effected. Then came in the usual routine 
of digging trenches, fabricating fascines, throwing up 
batteries, and laying down platforms ; after which the 
guns were run in and a heavy firing began. 

But so superior was that of the defenders to anything 
which we could bring against them, that it generally 
ended in the dismantling of our artillery. One by one 
our guns were dismounted, and the siege made but tardy 
progress. 

In the labour of such operations the cavalry have no 
share. It is their business to observe the rear of the 
camp, to taJie the patrol duty, and otherwise guard 
their comrades against surprise ; and there was occu- 
pation enough of this sort presented to us day by day 
to hinder a complaint of the absence of employment 
from being heard anywhere. 

We pushed our reconnoissances on in all directions, 
to a wide extent, and for a time nothing appeared to 
create alarm. Moreover, our intelligence was excellent ; 
for the country people were all on our side, and General 
Donkin, the quarter-master general, appeared indefati- 
gable. At last, however, the bubble, which we had 
long and anxiously fostered, was destined to burst. 
After reconnoitring the roads that led to Reus and Vails, 
we proceeded one day in the direction of Arbos, and 
entering the village with General Donkin at our head, 
we talked of commencing our inquiries; but there was 
no occasion for that ; the inhabitants anticipated us by 
reporting that the French were on the move with thirty 
thousand men, and that nothing could prevent them 
from arriving in front of Tarragona within the space of 
eight-and-forty hours. Now General Donkin knew the 
characters of his informants, and felt that he might de- 
pend upon them. He therefore commanded us to 
mount as soon as we had baited our horses, and we 
returned at a brisk trot towards the camp. 


216 


THE HUSSAR- 


It so happened that we found Sir John Murray walk- 
ing with Admiral Hallowell upon the sands, and the 
information which we had picked up was immediately 
communicated to them. General Murray credited the 
report at once, but Admiral Hallowell scouted it . as 
ridiculous. It was to no purpose that General Donkin 
assured him of the reliance which he had placed in his 
spies ; the. Admiral insisted that the whole story was a 
fabrication ; and that it originated in treachery. In- 
stead, therefore, of assenting to the General’s proposal 
of getting the guns and stores off with as little delay as 
possible, he contended that it would not be requisite to 
remove even the men till the latter should have fallen ; 
for nobody seemed to take into account the impossi- 
bility of resisting an attack from Sachet’s troops on one 
side, and the garrison of Tarragona on the other. The 
only question between them was, as to the probable ap- 
proach of a French army ; and this the Admiral per- 
sisted in rejecting as a fable. 1 am the more forward 
to state all this, because a different account of the trans- 
action has, I believe, gone abroad ; and having myself 
overheard the conversation of the chiefs, I am able to 
speak of it from my own personal observation. The 
result, accordingly, was, that throughout the whole of 
that night and the next day, our batteries continued to 
fire ; and that not a movement was made calculated to 
create a suspicion that the siege would be raised. 

Time passed, and every new hour brought in a fresh 
rumaur of the approach of Suchet. Patrols were again 
sent out, which falling in with the scouts from the 
French advanced guard, skirmished with them for 
aw hile, and then returned to report what had befallen. 

Now then at last the Admiial, as well as the Gene- 
ral, received a conviction that the enemy were coming 
(»n, and guns, stores, ammunition, and intrenching tools, 
were all abandoned. The provisions and powder, of 
which quantities had been brought on shore, were rolled 
into the sea. The guns were spiked, the shot and shell 


THE HUSSAR 


217 


buried in the trenches ; yet so inadequately was all this 
done, that the booty left behind must have greatly de- 
lighted the captors, and given them means to recruit 
the exhausted magazines of Tarragona. Finally, just 
as the enemy began to show themselves on the high 
grounds at a distance, the last of our detachments en- 
tered the boats, and the whole were brought off without 
disaster, and lodged on board of ship. 

It is not my province to criticise the behaviour of my 
superiors, far less to pass judgment on the wisdom or 
folly of this attempt ; but the results were as mortify- 
ing both to us and to the Spaniards, as they must have 
been satisfactory to the French. The fact, indeed, ‘is, 
that except by the bomb-vessels and boats of the fleet, 
no useful service was performed. These harassed the 
town, it is true, by approaching close under the batte- 
ries by night, and showering shells and rockets into 
the streets ; yet even their services were productive of 
perhaps more inconvenience to the inhabitants than 
mischief to the garrison, which kept them in a state of 
unwillingness subjection. But however this may be, 
the enterprise terminated as I have described. We 
went off like a dog that has lost a battle, and were 
welcomed back to Alicante by the jibes of our own 
comrades, and the well-deserved ridicule of our allies. 


VoL. 1, — T 


218 


THE IIUSSAK. 


CHAPTER XXI. 

WE GET NEW LEADERS, AND ENTER UPON NEW OPERA- 
TIONS. 

The account which I have given of the expedition to- 
Tarragona, is, I am aware, very imperfect. There 
were some movements made, previous to the final em- 
barkation, of which I cannot speak at all, and others, 
concerning which my memory serves so little, that I 
am unwilling to touch upon them. It strikes me, for 
example, that though the British force w^as all taken on 
board at Tarragona, some Spanish corps that served 
along with us, retreated by land as far as the Col de 
Balaguer, and that preparations were at one moment 
made for a second debarkation at the latter spot. More- 
over, if I do not deceive myself, a large portion of our 
infantry did disembark, and for a single day faced the 
enemy. But not having myself had any share in the 
operations, I am unwilling to hazard statements which 
may be quite erroneous, and can amount only to con- 
jecture. One thing, however, is quite certain, that 
while we lingered at this part of the Catalonian coast, 
new Commanders-in-chief both for our land and sea 
forces arrived ; and that the troops had at their head, 
when we renewed our old quarters in Alicante, Lieu- 
tenant-General Lord William Bentinck. 

We re-entered the harbour of Alicante towards the 
latter end of June, and remained perfectly quiet till the 
8th of July. The interval was doubtless spent by the 
heads of departments in making preparations for a 
move ; for on the morning of the 9th, the army took 
the field. No enemy appeared to harass us ; none were 
reported by the peasantry to be near, so we pushed for- 
ward leisurely, and in excellent order, towards Valencia. 
It was not so with our Spanish allies, the brigades of 


THE HUSSAR. 


219 


Saarefield and Rodil. These, moving- upon our flanks, 
were engaged in constant affairs with detached bodies 
of French troops which gave way before lliem, and ac- 
quitted themselves, as far as we could learn, with great 
gallantry. But to us no opposition was offered, so that 
our progress resembled more the passage of an army 
through a country which is at peace, than the opening 
of a campaign in the face of an enemy, whose activity 
and numerical strength were alike formidable. 

When we broke up our camp, we were given to un- 
derstand that Valencia was in possession of the French: 
as we drew towards it, which weis done by slow marches, 
intelligence came in that they had retreated. Our faces 
were immediately turned in the direction of the town, 
and we entered it in triumph. Neither would it be pos- 
sible to exceed the joy wdth which the inhabitants re- 
ceived us, or the marks of the respect with which, on 
all hands, we were greeted. 

tj As we approached the city, the walls were observed to 
be hung with pieces of silk of ail colours, and here and 
there with tapestry. Across the streets triumphal 
arches were erected; green boughs strewed the pave- 
ments; while, in the balconies stood ladies and gentle- 
men, who waved their handkerchiefs, and showered 
down flow'ers upon our heads. As to Lord William 
Bontinck, I thought he would have been smothered 
with their nosegays. They heaped them upon him, 
not from their hands, but out of baskets, and made the 
air resound with cries of “Viva los Angleses!” “Viva 
le G^n^ral Liberantei” 

In this manner we marched through Valencia, our 
colours flying and bands playing, and sure I am that if 
the prayers of the poor people could have availed, not a 
man of us would have sustained hurt from that moment 
to the close of his life. Yet they mixed up their con- 
gratulations with statements to tlie effect that the enemy 
were not far distant, and that without doubt we should 
he called upon, ere many days elapsed, to give them 


220 


THE HUSSAR. 


battle. The Foreign Hussars were soon made to un- 
derstand that the General had not been careless of this 
intelligence. We halted in Valencia only one day, 
when, together with our old friends the Calabrian and 
German rifles, we were sent out to do the duty of pat- 
rolling and advanced posts. 

It was not our policy by lingering long in this place, 
to give an opportunity to the French of maturing their 
plans at leisure. After a brief halt, therefore, the co- 
lumns once more pushed forward, following the road by 
the sea-shore which leads to Tortosa on the Ebro. There 
was nothing worthy of record in all this march. No 
hostile bodies opposed us, no patrols encountered ours, 
and we reached the bank of the river, at a place called 
Amposa, without having occasion to fire a shot. There 
IS a ferry here, across which Lord William made haste 
to throw us, supporting his cavalry as soon as possible 
with infantry and guns. But we did not land at Tor- 
tosa : that was still in possession of the enemy, and 
being strongly fortified, it was not judged expedient to 
waste our valuable time in front of it. 

While the rest of the army was crossing the Ebro, 
the advanced guard went out in all directions to recon- 
noitre; we of the Foreign Hussars following a road 
which seemed to conduct towards Tortosa. W e were 
riding along expecting no adventure, of any sort, when 
all at once we observed in a valley below us a caravan 
of sixty bullocks carts, and a large train of mules 
marching under an escort of French infantry. To 
charge them was the work of a moment. Forward w’e 
rode down the sjope of the descent, without drawing 
either carbine or pistol, and threw ourselves upon them, 
sword in hand, with such rapidity that they never 
thought of attempting to make resistance. They flung 
away their muskets, called for quarter, and to a man 
were made prisoners. This was the first opportunity 
that we had had of coming into collision with the 
French since the arrival of Lord William Bentinck to 


THE HUSSAR. 


221 


command us, and it was hailed as a favourable omen 
of what might follow. Moreover, it was the source of 
much rejoicing, both to us and to our comrades the 
Calabrese; all of whom helped themselves without 
scruple to the wine and food, with which in great quan- 
tities the cars were loaded. We had taken a convoy of 
provisions on its way to Tortosa,of which the governor 
was anticipating the blockade ; and besides being pub- 
licly thanked in orders, each man got his canteen filled 
with excellent wine, and as much bread and salt fish 
as he chose to carry along witli him. 

From the period of our crossing the Ebro, we began 
to feel that we were engaged in something more than a 
mere game of warfare. The enemy seemed reluctant 
to abandon the ground between Tortosaand Tarragona, 
and were not removed from it without frequent encoun- 
ters between our advanced parties and their rear-guard. 
But they did fall back leisurely, permitting us to occupy 
at Cambrils a position which they had taken up in 
order to cover the town ; and eventually when threat- 
ened at Arbos, Vails, and Reus, retiring still farther 
towards the frontier. The consequence of these suc- 
cesses was, that Lord William Bentinck invested Tar- 
ragona, and pushing back the enemy to Vilia Franca, 
established his line of observation in and around Arbos. 

With the general movements of the army I am too 
little acquainted to hazard an opinion concerning them. 
I do not even know where our head-quarters were at 
this time established; but for myself, my station was 
with the corps to which I belonged, the Calabrese, the 
riflemen, and a battalion of the 27th on the right of the 
line, so to touch the sea between the villages of Torre 
del Borra and Altafalla. Here being far in advance of 
the main body, we were required to exercise the utmost 
vigilance ; and never, for one moment, either by night 
or day, was our vigilance relaxed- 

At first our piquets were stationed in front of Torre 
del Borra, the main body itself being posted in the vil- 
T2 


222 


THE HUSSAR. 


lage; but cuch an arrang-ement was considered too 
dangerous, and another took place. Torre del Borra 
was held as a post only during the day, and regularly 
as ten o’clock at night came round, it was evacuated. 
We then left a piquet in its rear, fell back about a mile 
to Altafalla ; and keeping saddled and accoutred were 
ready for action, so soon as the alarm should be given. 

We were thus situated — that is to say, Torre del 
Borra was still kept as a prominent station, when Colo- 
nel Adam one day directed a party of tlie Hussars, with 
some of the riflemen and light infantry, to attend him 
on a reconnoisance to the front. 

He expressed a wish that 1 should take command of 
the Hussars, and about six o’clock in the evening, or 
perhaps somewhat later, we moved from the village 
towards some low woods that skirted the base of rising 
ground, a little to the left. 

A guide, of course, attended us ; indeed, in a strange 
country, guides are essential to all military operations, 
and we were instructed to preserve a perfect silence, 
and to be greatly on the alert. In this manner we 
traversed the wood, at the farther extremity of which 
the escort was halted, while Colonel Adam handing his 
portfolio and writing materials to me, desired me to 
attend him. “We must go very cautiously to work, 
Serjeant Major,” said he, “ for we are close upon them 
— they are at the opposite side of the hill.” And cau- 
tious we undeniably were : moving at the slowest pos- 
sible walk, we crept up the face of the ascent till the 
Colonel reached a point whence he could make his ob- 
servations. 

Immediately the telescope was at his eye, and he 
swept the enemy’s position : after which he took his 
portfolio from me, and throwing his right foot on the 
pommel of the saddle, noted down what he bad seen. 
This was repeated several times; and we had kept our 
ground about ten minutes when bang came a musket- 


THE HUSSAR. 


223 


ball from a neighbouring copse, which just grazed the 
side of the Colonel’s hat. 

“This won’t do,” said he, looking up and handing 
me the portfolio, “ I must preserve my life for another 
occasion. It’s no use sitting here, for we are discover- 
ed.” Accordingly vve wheeled about and rode towards 
our escort, just as a piquet of the enemy, both horse 
and foot, crowned the ridge. They gave us a volley to 
no purpose, but they did not venture to pursue, for it 
was already getting dark, and they saw that we had 
support at hand ; so we retraced our steps leisurely 
through the wood, and returned to Torre del Borra un- 
tnjured. 

1 do not know w’hether this little reconnoissance had 
any influence in producing ' the movement, but we 
shortly afterwards withdrew from Torre del Borra, and 
left only a piquet in front of the village, which fell back 
every night as darkness set in, to a station in the rear. 
Meanwhile our division, if such it deserves to be called, 
was quartered in Altafalla. Not that Altafalla was our 
rallying post ; on the contrary, it was our nightly cus- 
tom to march about three miles backwards on the road 
to Tarragona, where, in certain vineyards and among 
some broken ground that flanked the highway to the 
left, we formed line ; after which, both men and horses 
bivouacking in order of battle, we staid there till day- 
break came in, and then marched back to the village. 

Moreover, it soon became apparent to us, that the 
enemy, besides having some great object in view, were 
perfectly aware of our numerical inferiority. 

Scarcely a day passed, without their pushing forward 
some attack upon our piquets, which sometimes suc- 
ceeded in forcing them from their ground, and some- 
times ended in the repulse of the assailants. 

The French had a strong force of cavalry opposed to 
our single squadron. These were tke Slst Dragoons, 
a regiment of Grenadiers k Cheval, and though last not 
least, our old friends the 4th Hussars, whose courage 


224 


THE HUSSAR. 


and dexterity put us to infinitely more trouble than that 
of the other two regiments combined. 

These fellows seemed, indeed, to have no sense of 
danger. They would ride close to our videttes, fire 
their pistols in their faces, or exchange a few passes 
with their swords, as if for exercise; and as to their 
vigilance, no cat, when watching at the hole of a mouse, 
could be compared with them. A rat might not stir 
without their detecting it ; and they w'ere never shy to 
let us know that their eyes were open. It was impos- 
sible not to respect enemies, who occasioned to us so 
much trouble ; and as we were not inferior to them in 
any of the qualifications that make up the soldiers cha- 
racter, 1 have reason to believe that the feeling was mu- 
tual. 

Thus it fared with us for the space of about a fort- 
night, when there arrived from another part of our line 
such a reinforcement, both of men and guns, as put us 
pretty much at our ease. Besides the Brunswick Hus- 
# sars — a very acceptable addition to our small cavalry 
force — there came several battalions of infantry, to- 
gether with four pieces of cannon of small calibre, but 
still worth mentioning. The addition of this new 
corps seemed to produce the same effect upon Colonel 
Adam that it did upon us. It encouraged him to hold 
his ground more resolutely ; and as we had a couple 
of gun-boats in a creek, just in front of Torre del Borra, 
we felt tolerably secure. The result was, that, instead 
of retiring, as we had previously done, immediately 
after dark to Altafalla, we rushed forward about half a 
mile in front of it, and threw up a couple of batteries 
in a sort of echellon line, one on each side of the high 
road. It became our custom henceforth to form there 
night after night; though indeed not many nights 
elapsed ere the value of our new position, in a military 
point of view, was put to a severe test. 

It was somewhere about the 14th of August, just as 
the village clock had stmck two, that, being in line, as 


THE HUSSAR. 


225 


usual, on each side of the road before Altafalla, we 
heard one morning a more than common bustle in tlie 
street of Torre del Borra. I regret to say that the 
piquet stationed there consisted of a serjeant’s party of 
the Foreign Hussars, who were so little attentive to the 
important nature of their trust, that they all lay down 
and slept. It is true that they had their videttes out, to 
whose vigilance they were justified in trusting a little ; 
but the commandant of an outpost who trusts to any- 
thing except his own eyes and ears, is not worthy to 
hold even the meanest rank in the army. Well, the 
piques slept — while the French, advancing in profound 
silence and perfect order, rushed upon the videttes, who 
had barely time to fire tlieir carbines, wheel about, and 
gallop off. 

The horse of one man stumbled and fell, and he was 
instantly made prisoner ; the other effected his escape, 
but he was the only individual belonging to the entire 
party that did so. For the French, pursuing at speed, 
entered Torre del Borra close at his heels, and coming 
upon the piquet ere they had time to mount, made the 
whole of them prisoners. In Torre del Borra, however, 
their advance made some pause, so as to permit the 
main body to come up with them, by which means our 
solitary scout succeeded in reaching the position un- 
harmed, and prepared us for the sort of visit that we 
were about to receive. 

Silent as the grave we all stood to our arms. The 
batteries of which I have just spoken were already 
armed, each with a couple of guns ; and their situa- 
tion was such, that while both could fire at once, the 
one being a .short space in advance of the other, it was 
competent tc them to rake an enemy who should have 
penetrated beyond the more forward of the two. 

Behind their parapets, as well as among the fields 
beside them, there was the most perfect stillness. More- 
over, no lights were shown ; for the very slow matches 


226 


THE HUSSAR^ 


were concealed under cover of the banquet ; and as to 
the rest, the night was sufficiently dark to coverall that.' 
Silent as the grave, therefore, and with all our senses 
wide awake, we stood ready for the contest ; neither 
were we kept along in suspense. There came up upon 
the quiet night air the tramp of many feet^ regular, 
firmly set, and nowise hurried ; denoting the approach 
of a strong column, which entertained no suspicion that 
it was in the immediate vicinity of danger. It was in 
vain that we strained our eyes, in the hope of discover- 
ing the outlines of tlie men from whom the sound pro- 
ceeded. 

There was no moon in the heavens ; and though the 
stars were out, yet their brilliancy had at this hour be- 
gun to fade; or if it were not so, it sufficed not to give 
effect to our powers of vision. Therefore, we could 
only guess at the probable numbers of our assailants 
from the long, hollow, and unceasing noise occasioned 
by their march ; and that to ears that we accustomed 
to pay regard to similar annunciations, afforded a tolera- 
bly distinct proof that their force was very great. 

On they came, no drums beating, nor any word of 
command being pronounced in a tone more audible 
than a whisper, till the head of the column had arrived 
within pistol-shot of our more advanced battery. Bang, 
bang, went the guns at this instant, both loaded to the 
muzzle with grape and canister, while a volley of mus 
ketry from each side of the way shed a bright but mo- 
mentary glare over the darkness of the night. I have 
no words in which to describe the effect of this unlook- 
' ed-for salutation. The guns were admirably served ; 
the musketry, though fired more at random, told ; and 
the enemy’s column halted, wavered, and recoiled, and 
then broke into a confused mass among the fields on 
cither hand. 

I'fow could be heard the voices of officers calling to 
the men to follow — now a sort of yell or shout gai^eno- 


THE HUSSAR. 


227 


tlce of a second attack ; and, by-and-by, a rush, at double- 
quick or charging pace, carried a large body of men 
clear beyond the advanced battery. But they came only 
into a situation where a two-fold slaughter overtook 
them. The second battery o[>ened, while the infantry 
in support of it poured in such a close and well-sustain- 
ed fire, that no man could face it and live. Again the 
enemy were driven back, and again our people cheer- 
ed triumphantly, as daring them to a renewed en- 
counter . 

In this manner, the French made repeated attempts 
to burst through us, while a lesser body made an obli- 
que movement to the left, in the hope of turning our 
position ; but in this direction, as well as on the main 
road, we were prepared for them. They were met, 
roughly handled, and driven back, leaving upon the 
field many killed and wounded, among the former of 
which was an officer on Marshall Sucyet’s staff, and 
the bearer, as was ascertained on examining his body, 
of important dispatches. This man seemed resolute, 
at all hazards, to penetrate as far as Tarragona, and met 
his death in attempting it. He was a very gallant fel- 
low, and died as became a good soldier. 

The affair at Altafalla, though very sharp while it 
lasted, was not of long continuance. Foiled in three 
attempts to force our position, the enemy ceased by de- 
grees to molest us, and long before dawn had retired in 
some disorder to their position in front of Villa Franca. 
For us, we did not attempt to' follow them. It was 
enough to have maintained ourselves against such fear- 
ful odds ; it would have been madness to have aimed at 
more ; so we held our ground, and congratulated one 
another when daylight came in, on the success which 
had attended our efforts. To the Foreign Hussars, in- 
deed, the sense of this victory was not without its alloy. 
We were heartily ashamed of the negligence of our 
comrades, and blushes when we read in general orders 


228 


THE HUSSAR. 


next day a rebuke which we felt to be merited. It is 
only surprising that Lord William did not extend his 
censure to the commanders of the two gun-boats which 
lay in Torra del Borra creek. Though thrown into that 
situation for the express purpose of enfilading a large 
space of the high road, they never fired a shot, but per- 
mitted the enemy’s column to pass them, both in 
the advance and in the retreat, without the slightest 
molestation. 













{ 


THE HUSSAR. 


229 


CHAPTER XXII. 

THERE ARE OTHER AMUSEMENTS IN WAR THAN CUTTING 
THROATS ; AND I SEE SOMETHING OF THEM. 

So far we had triumphed ; but it soon appeared that to 
maintain the forward position, and carry on the siege 
of Tarragona at the same time, was more than our fee- 
ble army could accomplish. Suchet, we learned from 
our spies, had received large reinforcements, and was 
making every preparation to relieve the place. It is 
not in my power to tell either how the French general 
manoeuvred, or what measures Lord William Bentinck 
took to oppose him ; for I only know that in a day or 
two after our fight at Altafalla, we were commanded to 
retreat. We fell back, in consequence, immediately 
after night-fall, and never came to a lialt till we reached 
a position which we had formerly occupied, between 
Tarragona and Cabrils. Here the whole army halted, 
leaving Suchet free to deal with Tarragona and its gar- 
rison as might to himself appear most expedient. 

We took up ourgronnd at Cabrils, either on the 16th 
or 17th of August, and keept a sharp look-out to our 
front ;when, on the night of the 18th, an explosion took 
place that shook the very earth beneath our feet. The 
sound was louder than the loudest thunder ; and the 
effect upon all living and dead substances, withen reach 
of its influence, resembled that of an earthquake. W'e 
were utterly at a loss to conjecture to what cause the 
event ought to be attributed, .and put to one another a 
thousand questions which nobody could answ'er ; till, 
with the morrow^s dawn, came intelligence that the ene- 
m}' had evacuated '^•’’arragona, after blowing up its pow- 
der magaziens, and ruining its defences. Immediately 
the word was given to march to the front. The French, 
our spies informed us, were in full retreat: they had 

VoL. n. — U 


230 


THE HUSSAR. 


left not so much as a post of observation behind them ; 
and such of the stores as they found it impracticable to 
carry away, they had committed to the flames, or cast 
into the sea. 

We pushed on, after receiving this intelligence, in 
the highest possible spirits; and, arriving at the site of 
the encampment which our investing force had occu- 
pied, we there halted. I. applied for, and obtained, per- 
mission on the following day to visit the city, and found 
it, as to both defences and buildings, in a state of cruel 
dilapidation. The solid walls, torn by the force of the 
gunpowder, presented here and there enormous breaches, 
at the base of which lay fragments of masonry resem- 
bling rocks that had been cast down from the summit 
of a mountain, ratlier than portions of a work fabricated 
by the hand of man. In other places, where the quan- 
tity of powder ap.ded had been less, there were mere 
rents and fissures in the rampartst, through some of 
which a man might have squeezed his body, and that 
only with difficulty. But the most remarkable effect of 
the explosion was exhibited in the condition of the 
houses. Many were, of course, a heap of ruins ; but 
many more,. though they stood for a day or two after 
the concussion took place, had received such a shake, 
that the walls gradually crumbled, or the stone work 
clave asunder, and the roofs fell in, burying beneath them 
all that chanced to be witl in doors. There was one 
occurance of this kind, so remarkable, that 1 must be 
permitted to describe it in detail. 

Tarragona being now in our possession, w’as imme- 
diately converted into a sort of general dep6t, in which 
not only the magazines for the arrny might be establish- 
ed, but the sick and wounded taken care of. The best 
houses in the place were appropriated, as is usual in like 
cases, to the service of the hospital ; and into these our 
invalids, now a very numerous body, were removed. It 
happened one day that a wounded man, as he lay awake 
and uneasy upon his bed, cast his eyes towards the wall 


THE HUSSAR, 


231 


of the room which was opposite to him, and adjoined 
the street. To his inexpressible dismay he beheld the 
stones begin to rend asunder, and the plaster to fall 
down upon the floor in a shower. At first he distrusted 
the evidence of his own sences ; but when the crevice 
yawned again, and became wider, he shouted for one 
of the attendants, and, pointing out the state of the build- 
ing, explained what had happened. The medical gentle- 
man, being made aware of the fact, lost no time in 
clearing out the hospital. The sick were removed as 
fast as an abundant command of means would allow ; 
and, in less than a quarter of an hour the house was 
empty. Had the measure been less prompt, it would 
have been attempted in vain ; for scarcely was the last 
litter conveyed beyond the threshold, when the front 
wall gave w^ay, and of that once stately mansion nothing 
remained but a heap of ruins. 

Having seen, in the course of this day’s ramble, as 
much of Tarragona as I desired to see, it was with in- 
finite satisfaction that I heard not long afterwards that 
we were going to move upon Arcos, and ultimately as 
far as Reuss. 

Ofthe beauty of the latter town we had heard much, 
and we longed greatly to see it ; neither did the reality, 
as sometimes happens, fall short of our expectations. 
Of Arcos I cannot say so much; it was very dirty, 
with few houses from which almost all the inhabitants 
had not fled — circumstances which effectually barred 
us from experiencing the smallest regret at leaving it. 
But Reuss was in every respect the reverse of this. 
The suburbs, consisting of villas rather than of houses, 
clustered together, exhibited a profusion of groves, plea- 
sure-grounds, florvver-gardens, and water-courses, while 
inside the walls, streets, clean and regular, conducted 
you, on all sides, towards a great square, within which 
a daily market was held. There might be seen expos- 
ed for sale, poultry, eggs, fruits, vegetables — every thing, 
in short, which the surrounding districts could supply. 


232 


THE HUSSAR. 


or the most determined lover of fhe table desire to pos- 
sess : and round tliat open space were houses on one 
side, consisting entirely of hotels; on another, of excel- 
lent shops ; on a third, of private dwellings; while on the 
fourth was what may be termed the high street. To 
complete the picture, I may add, that in front of these 
habitations, at least on two sides, ran a piazza, beneath 
the shade of which it \vas customary for the citizens to 
lounge, either smoking their cigars, or transacting such 
business as might, from time to time, make demands 
on their attention. 

I must now return to my friend Conrad Hettendorfr, 
of the Foreign Hussars. He had become, in every 
sense of the term, an excellent soldier ; and his know- 
ledge of the Spanish language, as well as his general 
int^ligence, soon gained for him promotion to the rank 
of Serjeant. In this capacity it became his duly to su- 
perintend the billeting of his men ; for while the 20th 
were put into ba/racks, our squadron, as being the 
weaker corps of the two, had quarters assigned to it in 
the town. I cannot say that either to Conrad or myself 
this arrangment proved disagreeable; for in the town 
we were more our own masters than in barracks ; and, 
as we had plenty of money in our purses, the prospect 
of spending a short space in the heart of a civilized city 
was regarded as no trivial ground of mutual congratu- 
lation. Accordingly, after well providing for the com- 
forts of the men, Conrad applied to the Alcalde for a 
billet in some house where both he and I could be ac- 
commodated; and the magistrate, who favoured a man 
that was capable of conversing freely with him in his 
own dialect, apportioned us quarters in one of the best 
hotels in the city, which stood at the corner of the mar- 
ket square. 

We proceeded to the house appointed for us, and find- 
ing that it answered, in every respect, to the descrip- 
tion which the Alcade had given, we experienced some 
reluctance to enter, for several officers had taken up tlieir 


THE HUSSAR. 


233 


abode there, and we had no wish to come into collision 
with them. But the host and hostess, a young couple, 
who had recently set up in business for themselves, were 
so pressing, arid so kind, that we did not like to turn 
our backs upon them. They conducted us up stairs, 
and ushered us into an apartment which, in point of 
size and furniture, and the air of comfort that attached 
to it, might have sufficed for a general of brigade. Not 
content with this, they gave us our choice, either of bed- 
rooms adjoining, or of camp-beds in the chamber itself ; 
for Conrad’s excellent Spanish found a passport to their 
effections ; and a Spaniard, when his affections are won, 
does not know how to behave to you with too much 
generosity. We were not so unreasonable as to require 
further accommodation than this one spacious room af. 
forded. We therefore thanked them for their kindness, 
and expressed ourselves willing to put up with even a 
single bed, should the providing of two prove at all in- 
convenient to them. • 

Having arranged these preliminaries, we sallied out, 
and spent the rest of the day in perambulating the town, 
at one of the busiest taverens in which we dined among 
a crowd of Spanish officers; for, besides our cavalry, 
some battalions of Spanish infantry were here, between 
whom and us the best understanding prevailed. We 
sat a reasonable time, smoked our cigars, drank coffee 
and noyeau, and such other liquors as were brought 
to us, and returned at night, as men ought to do, cheer- 
full and sober to our lodgings. Our sleep, too, was 
most refreshing, and when we awoke in the morning, 
we again congratulated one another in having steered 
our boat into so commodious a harbour. Curiosity, 
however, soon began to exercise itself as to the sort of 
neighbourhood into which we had been thrown, and we 
went to the window for the purpose of ascertaining 
what the objects might be on which we could look out. 
We found that ours was an apartment at the back of 
the house, and that the view from it was very circura- 
U2 


234 


THE HUSSAR. 


scribed. A high dead wall stood opposite, between- 
which and our house ran a lane — while within that wall 
was a large gloomy mansion, only one window in which, 
and that obscured outside by a wooden grating, looked 
towards our apartment. Moreover, there was nothing 
either to the right or left calculated to arrest attention. 
Ours was a corner room, which neither commanded a 
view of the square, nor was itself overlooked ; indeed 
the single aperture that bore upon us at all was, as I 
have just said, the grated window opposite. 

I had picked up an excellent telescope on the field of 
Vimiero, and carried it ever afterwards about with me 
whithersoever I went. To-day, partly in the wanton- 
ness of our mirth, partly to assist our powers of vision, 
we made use of it, directing its focus, among other ob- 
jects, on the grated window in the mansion that stood 
within the dead wall. It was Conrad who first turned 
his gaze in that direction, and immediately exclaimed 
tliat a nun was watching us from behind the grating, 
“ We’ll have a little fun, any how,” added he ; “ so hold 
you the telescope, Norbcrt, that I may open at once a 
course of telegraphic communication with tlie fair 
religiosa.” 

I took the glass as he desired, while he, seized a pen, 
tore out a leaf from his orderly-book, and wTote upon it 
in large characters some Spanish words. He showed 
them to me, and they ran thus : “ I am grieved to see 
you shut up in that prison, and would gladly be your 
deliverer, Scnora’ if I could.” He then drew back a 
pace from the window, held up the scrawl towards the 
nun, who showed that she understood the writer’s mean-, 
ing, by laughing heartily and clapping her hands. En- 
couraged by this first essay, Conrad wrote again — “Why 
don’t you show yourself more distinctly ? It is impos- 
sible to see through those envious bars.” This signal, 
like the last, was answered by laughter ; and not long 
afterwards a writing appeared at one of the apertures, 
saying, “ How can I remove the bars ?” In a moment 


THE HUSSAR. 


235 


Conrad’s reply was prepared. “ Take a knife, and cut 
out as large a space as will permit me to see you as 
plainly as you see me. But be careful to cut, so that 
you may be able to replace it at will, without running 
the risk of being detected.” The nun clapped her hands 
again, and laughed more heartily than before; after 
which for a while all was quiet. 

Quiet, however, it was not, within the lady’s cell, for 
we were yet speculating on the probable result of this 
last hint, when, to our great joy, an aperture was effect- 
ed in the frame-work sufficiently capacious to gratify 
all our wishes. Still the lady, though she presented 
herself before it and clapped her hands, wore a veil over 
her face, which, being superadded to the other garments 
of a nun — large wide sleeves and plaited boddice — alto- 
gether disguised her. Conrad accordingly set to work, 
and wrote — “ Withdraw that horrid veil, and permit me 
to sun myself in thy bright e)ies.” But the nun, 
though she laughed heartily, met this request by asking 
in her turn from what part of Spain we came ? Here 
was a puzzler : what ought we to say ? 

I was not slow, in giving my advice, nor Conrad back- 
ward in adopting it. “ Say that we are Irishmen,” said 
I, “ or Englishmen ; at all events, don’t let her suppose 
that we are Spaniards.” Conrad wrote accordingly, and 
the effect w’as magical. The veil was thrown aside in 
a trice, and a countenance beamed upon us, of which it 
is candid to admit, that, though I have beheld some 
more beautiful, I have seen a much greater number that 
were less so. 

We saluted the nun by bowing and kissing her hands, 
after which Conrad wrote — “What is your name?” 
The answer was — “I will find a more convenient op- 
portunity of telling you, but for the present we are in- 
terrupted.” “When shall we meet again?” wrote 
Conrad hastily. “This evening or to-morrow morning 
early,” was the reply; immediately after which the 
grating was put up. 


23G 


THE HUSSAR. 


We took tliis as a signal that our fair friend had bepn 
called away, and ceased to watch her window ; but we 
did not cease to speculate on the whole adventure. To 
us it was a mere pastime. We never dreamed that 
anything serious could arise out of it, nor indeed had 
we a wish that such should be the case. But x)ur 
curiostiy was excited, and we determined to go forward 
with the correspondence on every favourable opportunity. 
We then sallied forth, and having visited the stables, 
and seen that all was right among the men, we adjourn- 
ed to an hotel and dined. 

Being anxious to renew our correspondence with 
the recluse, we did not sit long over the meal, but 
hurrying back to our quarters, desired the landlady to 
send up wine and fruit, and other requisities for a des- 
sert, to our apartment. Our wishes were promptly at- 
tended to, and drawing our table near to the window, 
we fixed our eyes on the grated aperture across the 
way. Not many minutes elapsed ere the frame- work 
was taken down, and our telegraphs went to work. We 
pledged our fair friend in bun)pers of wine ; and then 
Conrad, who was always the scribe, demanded^Tier name 
and place of birth. There was a pausq of some little 
duration, at the conclusion of which a paper was shown, 
so well filled, that it took us some time fully to decipher 
the writing. The substance of the communication was 
this, that the lady’s name was Matilda Elienora Gusta- 
vava ; that she was a native of Reuss ; that her father 
kept a harberdasher’s shop in the same square of which 
our hotel formed a part ; and that we could not fail to 
find him out provided we followed such directions as 
she gave us. Scarcely had we clapped our hands, how- 
ever, in token that we understood the comrnunication, 
than she hastily waved hers as a signal of fareveell ; and 
closing up the aperture, we saw no more of her for the 
rest of the evening. 

We were, as may be imagined, in the highest possi- 
ble spirits. Our adventure, if such it might be called^ 


THE HUSSAR. 


237 


appeared to assume every hour a more interesting cha- 
racter ; and, like hunters that draw upon their game, 
the feeling of excitement became with us more acute, in 
proportion as onr questions were answered with increas- 
ing confidence. VVe were, therefore, not a little mor- 
tified at the abrupt termination of tlie interview. Never- 
theless, being aware that the evil was beyond remedy, 
we resolved to lighten its pressure as much as possible; 
and with this view, after finishing our bottle of wine, 
sallied forth in quest of adventures. 

The town, as 1 have already hinted, was full of 
troops, English and Spanish. Every hotel, therefore, or 
other place of public resort, was crowded.; yet there 
was no brawling, no confusion, no apparent disposition 
to riot in any quarter. Our cruise, therefore, for such 
it was, proved exceedingly pleasant, and we retired to 
our .mattresses about twelve o’clock, just sufficiently 
wearied to ensure a sound sleep. 

Our last thought, when we laid our heads on the pil- 
lows, was about Senora Gustavava; our first, when we 
raised them again, was directed towards her, and as 
soon as we were dressed, we repaired to the window in 
order to watch for her coming. She was beforehand 
with us; indeed, we never once succeeded in getting 
the start of her ; and the grating being down, our tele- 
graphing commenced with inquiries on both sides, as to 
the manner in which the night had been spent. Then 
came a fresh batch of questions : Conrad asked “ How 
old are you?” She laughed; and made answer, “Two- 
and-twenty.” “ Are you not tired of your irnprison- 
inAit?” Answer. “Yes, heartily tired, and mean to 
escape from it whenever I can.” “ Will you accept of 
me as your deliverer ?” “ Will you be true to me after 

I am delivered ?” “ As the needle to the pole ; but how 

can wc get you out?” “ That may be managed if you are 
to be trusted.” “ What is your history ?” There was a 
pause after this, and then came another well-filled slip of 
paper, which contained the following statement : — 


238 


THE HUSSAR. 


Matilda was one of twin sisters, and the elder of the 
two. Her mother had devoted her to a nunnery from 
her birth ; and having been educated in a convent, she 
took the veil without reluctance. But she had since 
discovered that it was one thing to be a pupil, and 
another to be a nun. She deeply repented the step she 
bad taken, and only waited for a favourable opportunity 
of escaping from her prison. That we might assure 
ourselves of the truth of this statement, and of more 
which she yet had to communicate, she begged that we 
would go to her father’s shop, behind the counter of 
which we would find her sister, and the strong resem- 
blance which they bore to one another would satisfy us 
that we were not deceived. Finally, she must leave us 
for the prssent. But when we saw the grating down 
we might be sure she was within hail, and ready 
to receive our communications, and to answer them. 
As soon as we had finished reading this, her screen was 
put up, and we were left to meditate on what had been 
told us. 

Our first determination of course was to seek out 
Senor Gustavava’s shop, and to ascertain w’hethcr the 
description w’hich Matilda had given of it corresponded 
with the reality. As soon therefore as we had been to 
stables, and breakfasted, and gone through the duties of 
the morning, we set out, and were at no loss, from the 
accuracy of the directions which w^e had received, in 
discovering the place of which w'e were in quest. It 
stood among other shops on the opposite side of the 
square, and seemed to be well stored with goods, though, 
like Spanish shops in general, there was no sign over .the 
door, nor the owner’s name any where about it. We 
walked by, and looking in, saw an elderly gentleman, 
two young men, and a young lady standing at different 
positions behind the square counter, and supplying their 
customers, who were very numerous, with whatever 
they might chance to require. “ I never saw such a 
likeness in my life,” said Conrad, after we had once or 


THE hussar. 


239 


twice crossed the threshold. “ She is the very image of 
Matilda ! — only look !” I did so, and certainly the re- 
semblance was very striking. '“Now, then,” said I, 
“ let us enter. We will purchase a silk handkerchief 
a piece, and in doing so we will find an opportunity of 
making tlie young lady smile, and so of comparing the 
expression, as well as the features of the one with tliat 
of the other.” Conrad readily agreed, and we moved 
towards the shop-door. 

The rush of customers seemed by this time to have 
passed away, and there ’were only two or three ladies 
beside the counter when we entered ; but as these had 
engaged the attention of the fair shop-woman, we were 
compelled lo have some dealings with her father, who 
offered his services. “Well,” said I, “ We must pur- 
chase something. I want a new pair of overalls, such 
as 1 may wear when off duty, and I cannot do better 
than provide myself here.” Conrad expressed a wish to 
equip himself in the same manner, and, as our purses 
were well filled, we bought each cloth and trimmings 
enough to render our lower extremities as smart as those 
of our officers. 

We contrived, moreover, to keep the chaffering in 
progress a sufficient time to allow the Spanish ladies to 
finish their business, and then passing round to the 
further counter, we requested tne Senorita to show us 
some pocket-handkerchiefs. Here, too, we were won- 
derfully fastidious in our tastes ; while Conrad drew the 
youug lady into an interesting conversation, which she, 
finding that he spoke excellent Spanish, appeared very 
much to relish. In particular, he put a great many 
questions to her respecting the F rench — whether they 
had behaved well in the place; whether they were 
favourites with the ladies or had carried any away with 
them ; and after a gotid deal of laughing, and some 
serious remarks, we learned that they had proved quite 
irresistible. 

Heavy contributions the authorities had levied on the 


240 


THE HUSSAR 


town, but there was no plundering ; and as to the wo* 
men, they had almost all fallen in love with the invaders, 
and not a few had foBowed them when they departed* 
We were by this time quite satisfied respecting the truth 
of Matilda’s story, and experienced a strong desire to 
tell her so; therefore, having selected a couple of hand- 
kerchiefs, and a silk nightcap a-piece, we paid the amount, 
and withdrew. 

We got home about five in the aflcrnoon, and found, 
as we expected, that the grating was down. Imme- 
diately we showed ourselves, and holding up the silk 
handkerchiefs and nightcaps, made the nun aware that 
we had visited her father’s shop. Then followed all 
sorts of questions and answ'ers, as to whether w’e saw 
any resemblance ? whether w'e still desired to set her 
free ? as well as the warmest protestations of regard on 
both our parts, and love on the part of Conrad. And 
now came the last announcement of all. She had well 
considered the steps that would be necessary in order to 
ensure her deliverance, and if we would be at our posts 
next morning, she would communicate her plans. We 
promised, of course, and spent that]night as we had done 
tlie night previous, the first portion of it in rambling 
from place to place — the last portion in our beds. 


I 


THE HUSSAR. 


241 


« CHAPTER XXI 1 1. 

THE AFFAIR GOES ON, AND REACHES ITS CONSUMMATION. 

I NEED scarcely pause to state that we were true to the 
hour of appointment on the morrow. Matilda likewise 
was at her post; and it was very evident that she had 
written down her principal budget over-night, for 
scarcely were the compliments of the morning paid ere 
it was held up for our inspection. I must give only 
the substance of it, for it was very long, and contained 
some extraneous matter, which it is not worth w'hile to 
repeat. 

After telling over again the tale of her early devotion 
to a life of seclusion, and describing her disappointment 
and disgust with all that occurred within the nunnery, 
Matilda proceeded to inform us that, independently of 
what might come to her from her father, she was en- 
titled to a considerable property at the death of an aunt, 
which, if she continued in the convent, would, of course, 
be taken possesion of by the society ; but which, in the 
event of her deliverance, she would be in a condition to 
receive. With respect again to the means of securing 
this most desired end, these were to be as follows : — 
She had already applied to a friend who would afford 
her an asylum in which she could lie concealed till the 
British troops quitted Reuss, when she would imme- 
diately join Conrad, and go with him wherever he went. 
In the mean while, he was to procure a rope-ladder, of 
sufficient length to reach across the garden wall, and 
hire a carriage in which she might be conveyed to her 
hiding-place; to bribe the coachman largely so as to 
ensure his silence ; and to engage to be her protector 
through life. Let him consent to all this, and she would 
cheerfully throw herself upon his honour. 

Conrad read and explained the long epistle to me — 

VOL.1.— V 


242 


THE HUSSAR. 


after which we stared at one another, and observing that 
matters were beginning to grow serious, put the impor- 
tant question, “ what was to be done?” We had no 
wish to get the poor girl ^nto trouble, and were very un- 
willing to burthen ourselves with her company ; yet it 
was clear that we had exoited hopes which must either 
be realised, or we should have the comfort of reflecting 
by and by that we had trifled with the peace of one 
whom we had no right to injure. At last I said to 
Conrad, “ Tell her that you would gladly fall in with 
her schemes, but that you have not the means of sup- 
porting her in the style to which she has been accus- 
tomed. This may help us out of our difficulties.” 
Conrad wrote accordingly ; but the result was not such 
as we had hoped for. The answer was ; “ I have money 
enough ; but come at seven o’clock this evening, when 
the sisters will be at vespers, to that side of the garden 
which adjoins an open field, and when you see an orange 
thrown over, know that I am there. This will be the 
spot whence I am to make my escape. Throw another 
orange back, to assure me that mine has reached your 
hands ; and take care of what you get, for it will corr- 
tain more than juice or pulp.” As we had some ob- 
scure idea of the field to which she alluded, I did not 
doubt that we should somehow or other find it. Conrad 
replied that he would be there at the time appointed, 
and the grating being put up, our communications for 
that morning were ended. 

I cannot say that we spent this day altogether so 
light of heart as we had done some others, for there 
was an apprehension on our minds that we were push- 
ing matters beyond the limits of generosity ; and we 
were neither of us inclined to abuse the poor girl, and 
then leave her to her fate. Still, having gone so far, 
we felt that retreat was impossible ; and accordingly, 
as the hands of our watches pointed to half-past six, we 
wrapped our cloaks about and sallied forth. With 
difficulty we made ou-irtrle the trysting place ; and 


THE HUSSAR. 


243 


had not reached it many minutes when over came an 
orange : we took it up and threw ours in reply. There 
was a cut in the rind, which we soon made wider, and, 
lo! within was a piece of paper rolled, which we imme- 
diately drew forth. It contained a massive gold ring, 
on which was a |iiVrtrait of Matilda in ivory, set round 
with brilliants, and a letter, the important part of which 
ran thus : — “We had spoken of our lack of money. 
No consideration of that sort was to weigh with us for 
a moment. The rope ladder must be got, the carriage 
hired, the coachman bribed ; and, to render all perfect, 
we were to be prodigal of our resources. We had only 
to provide ourselves with a ball of stout twine, and to 
fasten a bag to the end of it, and if by putting a storre 
into the bag we could manage to throw it over the gar- 
den wall, we should find, when it was drawn up again 
that the necessary funds were forthcoming : only let no 
time be lost in getting our arrangements into a state of 
forwardness.” 

Conrad put his ring on his finger, and both he and 
I gazed at it in astonishment — the painting was well 
executed, and the gold and the brilliants e\idently of 
great value ; while the girl’s proposal was altogether so 
generous, that we began to treat the affair more gravely 
than we had yet done, and to agree tliat she deserved to 
be set free, and protected for life by her deliverer. I 
do not mean to deny that the prospect of obtaining a 
bag full of coins may have had some effect in producing 
this change of sentiment, but I declare that admiration 
of Matilda’s confiding disposition, and unfeigned pity 
for her case, were motives much more influential with 
both of us. On the whole, therefore, we made our 
way back to the town, full of romantic determinations 
and generous sentiment ; and wandered from coffee- 
house to coffee-house, in a state of more than common 
excitation. But we were neither of us given to drink- 
ing ; we' took as much, perhaps a little more than could 


244 


THE HUSSAR. 


do us any good, and returned to dream of what the 
morrow or the next day might bring forth. 

With the morrow came reflection, and the difficulties 
of the case which overnight had well nigh disappeared, 
presented themselves again before our eyes in their full 
magnitude. What could be done with the girl after we 
got her out I 'I’o desert her would be to disgrace our- 
selves in our own eyes for ever ; to think of carrying 
her about with an army so much harassed as ours was 
madness. “ Had we not better give the thing up at 
once?” said Conrad. “Yes,” replied I, “ and restore 
the ring, it won’t do to keep that when you reject the 
donor.” “ I esteem the ring,” answered Conrad, “ much 
more for her sake than because of its intrinsic value ; 
but I believe you are right, we must try and send it 
back to her.” “ Stop,’’ cried I, “ the grating is down, let 
us ascertain what she has to say this morning.” 

We moved forward to the open window, upon which 
a paper was instantly held up containing this question, 
“ Did you get the contents of the orange ?” Conrad 
replied by holding out his hand with the ring on his 
fore finger and kissing it. Matilda clapped her hands 
and immediately produced another scroll, which de- 
manded, “ Is the ladder of ropes in preparation ?” 
“Now, what are we to say to that?” asked Conrad. 
“ It will never do to answer no — what shall I say ?” 
“ If you don’t choose to say no, say yes, to be sure,” 
said I, — “ but, remember, that you must either go 
through with this affair at all hazards, or bring it to a 
close at once.” “ Well, then. I’ll go through with it,” 
replied Conrad, and forthwith stooping down, he wrote 
“Yes.” A long pause followed, at the close of which 
the lady’s signal appeared to the following effect: — 
“I am afraid that you may be hampered for want of 
means — bring your bag and string round to the old 
corner this evening at seven, and your wants shall be 
supplied.” It was impossible now to do otherwise than 
promise a compliance with her wishes — so, after a few 


THE HUSSAR. 


245 


more remarks on both sides, our morning’s telegraphic 
communication came to an end. 

“ Norbert,” said Conrad, as soon as the grating re- 
sumed its place, “ I am but half satisfied with the posi- 
tion into which I have cast myself. I cannot think of 
marrying this girl — and, as to taking advantage of her 
confiding disposition, that is not to my mind. What a 
pity it had not been you that she fell in love with ! You 
are not withheld by any previous tie from making her 
your wife. Suppose I were to make over my interest 
in her regards to you ?” 

“ In the first place,” answered I, “ that may not be 
altogether in your power ; and in the next, I am not, 
perhaps, so free as you imagine. Besides, I might 
have had my senorita long ago, and under far more fa- 
vourable circumstances, had I been inclined to such 
matrimony. Therefore, friend, you must deal with her 
as you see most fitting, but you must not look to me to 
take her off your hands.” 

“ Well, then, we must make the most of it,” replied 
Conrad. After which we walked abroad attending to 
the duties of our station, and spent the remainder of 
tlie day, when these were accomplished, pretty much 
as we had spent other days. 

At last the hour of assignation drew nigh. We had 
already provided ourselves with a ball of stout twine, 
and caused one of our men to fabricate such a bag as 
we judged would serve the purpose required. It was 
not too large, and being drawn with a string at the 
mouth, we fastened it to the end of the line. A stone 
was then put in to ensure its passage through the air, 
and a loose knot tied above it. Thus equipped, but car- 
rying no weapons with us, we repaired to the well- 
known spot. It was still broad day-light, nevertheless 
we threw our orange over the wall, and the immediate 
return of anot^ter, assured us that Matilda had been 
faithful to her tryste. Upon this the bag was launched 
on its journey, and it flew direct into the garden be- 
V2 


246 


THE HUSSAR. 


yond. We paused, in order to afford time for Matilda 
to make use of it, and having- guessed by the slight tug 
that she gave that all was right, we were just beginning 
to pull it back again, when three huge Spaniards, not 
soldiers, but dressed in the ordinary garb of civil life, 
rushed upon us from behind, and an immediate scuffle 
began. We had no arms; fortunately for us they too 
were without weapons of any kind ; so the battle was 
waged with fists, and head, and feet, and no trivial dis- 
charge of oaths and execrations. Our assailants seized 
the twine, and began dragging it towards tliem. We 
struggled to repel them, when blood began to flow pro- 
ftisely from all our faces — but, three to two are great 
odds, when the only weapons used are those with which 
nature supplies us. They were gaining somewhat the 
superiority, when Conrad called aloud to me in English, 
“ Have you no penknife with which to cut the cord ?” 
In an instant my h and was in my pocket, and before 
anything could be done to stop me, I had drawn my 
knife, and severed the line. The bag fell back with a 
crash into the garden, and we felt, in some measure, 
safe. 

Our next object was to make the best of our way 
back to the house, and this, without stopping to seek 
for the ball of twine, we endeavoured to do ; but the 
Spaniards continued to press upon us — there was a sort 
of walking fight, indeed, all the way to the market- 
place — the Spaniards abusing us as sacrilegious here- 
tics, and we replying to them with all manner of oppro- 
brious epithets, as well as with blows. But we could not 
shake them off — neither indeed did we get rid of them 
till we entered the hotel, and escaped to our own apart- 
ment. And then what figures we were ! — from our 
noses the blood had flowed in such quantities, that not 
our faces only, but our very apparel was soiled. Our 
cheeks were bruised and scratched, and altogether we 
beheld such apparitions in the mirror that we were glad 
to turn away from it. But this was the least of the 


THK HUSSAR. 


2^17 


evil. We were washing off the blood from our faces 
and looking about for sticking plaster to apply to the 
wounds, when first the hostess and then the host made 
their appearance, both full of anxiety on our account, 
and anxious to be informed of the circumstances which 
had led to so dire a catastrophe. On this latter head, 
however, we refused to gratify their curiosity in the 
least. We only begged them to send up some supper 
and wine, and having patched up our wounds as well 
as we could, sat down to consider how the affair was 
likely to terminate. 

We had gathered from the language of our assailants, 
when mutually belabouring one another, that our detec- 
tion had been a thing of pure accident ; they happened 
to be passing near the spot, and being struck with the 
progress of two oranges that crossed one another in 
the air, th6y had approached and watched us. So far, 
there was ground to hope, that though the general pur- 
pose of our proceeding could not be concealed, the par- 
ticular object to whom our addresses had been paid, 
might escape detection ; and we were much more anx- 
ious on her account than on our own. For ourselves 
we never doubted that we should get out of the scrape, 
no matter to whom it might be reported ; but we knew 
that for Matilda there would be no pardon in the event 
of her design being discovered. We passed the night, 
therefore, gloomily enough, and our load was not light- 
ened, when on going to the window the first thing in 
the morning, we found that the grating was up. 

“ Poor Matilda !” said we, “ what will become of 
her ? that which was a good joke to us may be fatal to 
her.’^ Nor did we stir from the apartment throughout 
the whole of the day. I, indeed, as Serjeant-Major, 
had no stable duty to attend to, and our officers were 
too considerate to harass the men with dress parades, 
during the brief interval of repose in the middle of a 
campaign. I therefore kept the house tenaciously 
while Conrad made his excursions as unfrequent as he 


^48 


THE HUSSAR. 


cowld, and took care to hurry back again as sootr asr 
duty would allow. Still the whole of that day passed 
without bringing Matilda to the window, and we spent 
another night in a state of anxious suspense, which 
dwells to this hour on my memory. 

In the evening we were again on the alert, and had, 
not watched long ere the grating was taken down. Ma- 
tilda was there, but her communication was brief and 
hurried. “ It is all over — we are discovered — farewell.” 
The grating was closed again immediately and never 
opened again. What became of her I do not know. With- 
in the walls of these horrid prisons, whatever atrocities 
may be committed, the world is never made acquainted 
with them ; and of iVlatilda’s fate a whisper was not 
breathed, out of which it would be possible to draw a 
conjecture. Hope, however, seems to suggest that pro- 
bably her crime was not brought home to her. She 
was too clever to leave any traces of her intrigue about, 
unless, indeed, the bag might contain a letter, and both 
fall into the hands of her superior. But even that I 
am willing to believe is improbable, for if she stood, as 
she doubtless did, on the other side of the wall, she could 
not fail to learn, from the tumult on our side, that we 
had been surprised. All this, however, is mere con- 
jecture ; and the fact amounts to nothing more than that 
we never saw her grating removed again, nor had wuth 
her the slightest communication. 

Our apprehensions on Matilda’s account were by far 
too lively, and well grounded, to leave us much leisure 
for thinking about ourselves, yet we vvere taught ere 
many days went by, that ours was not a situation of 
safety. One evening the landlady came to us, and in a 
mysterious manner said, that she wished to hold a 
minute’s confidential conversation with us. We begged 
her to take a seat, and as there was wine on the table, 
we poured her out a glass, which she drank. “ Gentle- 
men,” said she, “ you have committed an offence which 
a Spaniard does not know how to forgive. You have 


THE HUSSAR. 


249 


been trying to steal a nun, and the object of my pre- 
sent visit is to warn you, that your lives are not worth 
an hour’s purchase. Take my advice and shift your 
lodgings. I shall be very sorry to lose you, for you 
have conducted yourselves excellently since you be- 
came my guests ; but I should be still more sorry to 
have you brought in some night stabbed to the heart. 
Go and provide accommodation for yourselves nearer 
to the quarters of your own men, and never show your- 
selves in this part of the town again.” 

The landlady’s advice w’as sound, and we determined 
to act upon it. Hitherto our bruises had confined us 
a good deal to the house, for we were not willing to 
exhibit countenances either swollen or scratched ; but 
they were now getting well again, and as we did not 
choose either to throw away our lives, or to preserve 
them at the expense of perpetual imprisonment we 
thanked the kind hostess, and told her that we would 
do as she recommended. 

Accordingly, next day Conrad repaired to the Alcalde, 
who had heard nothing about our adventure, and mak- 
ing the grear distance of our hotel from the men’s 
quarters his excuse, requested to be furnished with an- 
other billet. The Alcalde was very civil, and told us 
that we should not find ourselves so comfortable in any 
hotel in the place as in that to which he had originally 
sent us ; but finding that we were bent on a change he 
complied with our wishes. We availed ourselves of the 
hour at mid-day when the generality of the Spaniards 
are asleep, and sending our baggage to a house in the 
very centre of the street where the squadrop lay, we 
there established ourselves. We look care not to enter 
the market-place again during the remainder of our 
halt in Reuss. 


250 


THE HUSSAir. 


CHAPTER XXIIL 

WE i»RE NOT SORRY TO TAKE THE FIELD AGAIN, WHICH 

WE DO, AFTER AN ADVENTURE WITH A SPANISH CAP- 
TAIN. 

From this time forth till the army quitted the town, 
there occurred little of which it would be worth while 
to give a detailed account. Hettendorff and I spent 
our days and evenings together as usual, but an inde- 
scribable anxiety respecting the fate of the nun, not 
less than the dread of assassination, put a damp upon 
our enjoyments, such as we found it impossible to set 
aside. Our great desire, indeed, soon came to be that 
v.'e might be moved to some other quarter where, amid 
new scenes and fresh adventures, the past might be for- 
gotten. And though, to men who suffer from “ hope 
deferred,” every minute seems an hour, and each hour 
a day, — our wishes were accomplished at last. Early 
in September intelligence came in that flie enemy had 
fallen back behind the Labrigat, and the long-looked-for 
directions were issued at last, that our troops should 
prepare to push forward. 

The Foreign Hussars had received orders to march 
on the morrow, when Hettendorff and I, with two other 
Serjeants belonging to the corps, determined to spend 
our last evening comfortably together. With this view 
we ordered dinner at a tavern, in a quarter of the tow’ia 
as far as possible removed from the market-place, and 
at five o’clock sat down to an entertainment, which 
W'ould have done no discredit to the best eating-house 
in^lLondon. The wines, too, were excellent, and the 
liquors of the richest flavour, which with cigars and 
coffee took just so much effect upon our spirits as to 
render us proof against care. We were not drunk — it 
was not our habit to make beasts of ourselves — but we 


THE HUSSAR. 


251 


\rere exceedingly merry, and rejoiced in the prospects 
which to-morrow held out. The consequence was that 
we sat late, and saw the house emptied of all other 
guests : after which we paid our reckoning and pro- 
posed to return home. 

But there was one of our party, a Serjeant Knoll, on 
whom the liquor had produced a greater effect than 
upon the rest of us. He was at all times a humorous 
fellow, and now being heated with wine, he declared 
with an oath, that he would not lay his head upon the 
pillow till he had his spree. “ See if I don’t frighten 
somebody out of his wits,” cried he, “ and rob him 
with a candlestick.” As he said this he seized one of 
the candlesticks that stood upon the table, both of which 
were made of brass, and both so fabricated that you 
could push the candle up by raising a sort of socket, the 
clash of which when it touched the bore, sounded not 
unlike the cocking of a pistol. We all laughed at his 
whim, without supposing that he would carry it into 
effect; but he was as good as his word. He clapped 
the candlestick under his left arm unnoticed by the 
waiter, and forth we sallied arm in arm to return home. 

Knoll was upon one of the flanks, and had said but 
little, when we observed a tall figure wrapped up in a 
cloak, one corner of which was thrown over his 
shoulder advancing towards us. “ That’s the fellow,” 
exclaimed Knoll, “ mark how I’ll astonish him.” It 
was no sooner said than done. Before w’e could move 
hand or foot to detain him he sprang into the middle of 
the road, and clapping the muzzle of the candlestick 
against the stranger’s breast, he brought up the socket 
with a crash, and ordered him to stand and deliver. 

The dullest of living men could not have retained 
his gravity at what followed. Trembling from head 
to foot, the Spanish officer pulled out his purse and of- 
fered it to Knoll, while, at the same time, he begged 
for his life, in a tone of such alarm as to convulse us 
with laughter. Yet we were not blind to the probable 


252 


THE HUSSAR. 


consequences of so injudicious a joke. We gathered 
round the parties, and reminding Knoll ofthe risk which 
he ran of involving not only himself, but us in trouble 
we begged the Spaniard to put up his purse, and told 
him the whole affair was a frolic. If the gentleman was 
frightened when he believed us to be robbers, he be- 
came mad with rage as soon as the truth had been told. 
He would have revenge. A Captain of Spanish Infan- 
try was not the sort of person to be insulted with im- 
punity — he would call the guard — get us arrested on 
the spot and report the circumstance as soon as it was 
light to the Commander-in-chief. Nor, indeed, was it 
without the utmost difficulty that Hettendorff, who was 
our spokesman, succeed in mollifying his ire. At last, 
however, he consented to return with us to the tavern, 
and to accept at our hands as much both of wine and 
other good things as he might fancy ; promising that 
no report should be sent in by him on condition that we 
would engage to keep a secret that might possibly tell 
against his character. 

We were of course most happy to accede to these 
terms of accommodation, which on both sides were 
faithfully kept. For except among ourselves the affair 
of the candlestick was never alluded to till long after 
its occurrence; and Captain Alberto (such was his 
name) made no hostile report to the commandant. 

It was late on the following day when we formed 
our parade on an open space of ground, near the ex- 
tremity of Reuss. Every balcony and window was 
crowded to behold us, and amid the waving of hand- 
kerchiefsi and good wishes for success, the columns 
began to move. We proceeded no farther than to Villa- 
Franca, a neat clean town, on the road from Tarragona 
to Barcellona, where billets were issued to as many 
troops as the place would hold, and other preparations 
made apparently to spend the winter. 

Pdean while an advanced guard under Colonel Adam, 
consisting of one batalion of the 27th English Regi- 


tllE HtSSARi 


5^53 


Went, of the Calabrian Free Corpse some Spanish In* 
Fantry, and a few guns, vverb pushed forward some 
tniles towards the Labrigat ; which occupying the Pass 
of Ordeal, was there supported by a detachment of 
cavalry — the 20th the Brunswickers, and the Foreign 
Hussars, taking it by turns to supply the piquets. 

The Foreign Hussars had been relieved overnightj 
and were returned to their quarters in Villa FranCa, 
when at an early hour in the morning of the 12th,"long 
before the day dawned, the sound of firing in the front 
roused us from our beds 5 and amid the blowing of 
trumpets and the roll of drums, we stood to our arms. 
The noise, which had at first been comparatively slight, 
became continually more tremendous; cannon and 
musketry intermingling in one ceaseless roar, which 
drew every moment nearer and nearer. Then came 
staff officers galloping into the town, with information 
that the enemy were advancing ; and that unless 
Colonel Adam were promptly supported, he must be 
overpowered. The General, however, either because he 
distrusted the intelligence, or that he was unwilling in 
the dark to quit the shelter which the towm afforded, 
persisted in holding his ground, till an abrupt cessation 
of the tumult told us too plainly that the contest was 
over. Then, indeed, we got the order to march ; but 
the Pass of Ordeal was already carried, and the brave 
men who maintained it for three hours, against ten 
times their numbers, were either cut to pieces, or scat- 
tered to the four winds. Lord William, however, 
seemed bent upon recovering the credit which the total 
destruction of his advanced post might seem to have 
Cast upon him. He therefore pushed on and formed his 
line in such a situation as has probably never before, at 
least in modem times, been occupied by an inferior 
army, in the immediate presence of the force which it 
was intended to check. 

A few miles in front of Villa Franca runs the river 
Noya , a clear, rapid mountain stream, very rocky and 

VoL. i.— W 


254 


THE HUSSAR. 


uneven in its channel, and though fordable in many 
places, still extremely difficult to pass, by reason of the 
strength of the current. Across the Noya, on the high 
road, is a bridge of three arches, the centre arch of 
which the French had destroyed, but which w^e, in 
order to keep open our communications with the ad- 
vanced guard and piquet, had repaired in a temporary 
manner with fascines and boards. Over this bridge, 
60 as to place the Noya in his rear, Lord William 
marched his army. Of the Spaniards, some, I believe, 
crossed at fords, both above and below ; but the English 
and Germans, with the guns, tumbrils, and even the 
baggage, all traversed the bridge as being the only means 
afforded them of passing. This done, the troops moved 
forward towards some eminences, along the faces of 
which they might form, and behind which, till the 
enemy should show themselves, they stood in column 
and concealed. 

I cannot tell what corps held the right and centre of 
our line, nor how they conducted themselves, either now 
or afterwards ; but the whole of the cavalry, with the 
Calabrians and some Germans formed on the left, just 
beneath the dip of a low hill, from the summit of which 
a commanding view could be obtained. Here then we 
remained for some time, the troopers standing by their 
horses, the light infantry thrown out as skirmishers, 
among certain vineyards and enclosures beyond, while 
guns were unlimbered, and placed in position, and all 
other preparations made that are the accustomed fore- 
runners of a general action. 

Our position w'as so near the crest of the hill, that a 
few paces to the front enabled me at any moment to see 
all that was passing on the side of the enemy. Their 
dirk, dense columns had, indeed, been visible from the 
first, moving steadily towards us, covered, as their prac- 
tice is, by crowds of tirailleurs ; while long trains of 
cannon and tumbrils gave notice that in artillery, they 
surpassed us at least as much as in the numbers of their 


THE HUSSAR. 


255 


horse and foot. I observed, however, that they were 
not disposed to rush blindly into the strife. On the 
contrary, though their skirmishers pushed on, and soon 
began to exchange a dropping fire with our riflemen, 
the columns halted at the distance of about a mile and a 
half from the plateau on which we weredrawn up ; while 
several staff officers closely reconnoitered our line, and 
then retired again to make their own dispositions. No 
great while elapsed ere the nature of these began to 
develope itself. There was a village in our immediate 
front, towards which in columns of Echelon some pro- 
digious masses of men began to move, and then beyond 
it other masses showed themselves, evidently bent upon 
turning our left, and doubling it up upon the centre. — 
It was at this juncture that Lord Frederick Bentinck, 
who commanded the cavalry, and displayed his usual 
gallantry, rode up to our column. “ Captain Jacks,” 
said he, “ I want your Serjeant-Major, with four men, 
to get as near to the French as he can ; and to let me 
know whether they have occuppied the village — in what 
force they are, and how they appear to be moving.” I 
was ready, of course, to do my duty ; and, four volun- 
teers, all excellently mounted, having expressed their 
desire to accompany me, I sprang into the saddle, and 
we moved oflT. I 

The orders given to me were, that I should on no 
account permit myself to be cut off — that I should ap- 
prpach the enemy as closely as could be done, with due 
regard to my own safety, and return as soon as possible 
with whatever intelligence I might be fortunate enough 
to pick up. In making our advance we were, after 
traversing some open country, particularly fortunate. — 
We struck into a hollow road ; the banks on both sides 
of which were just so high as to permit our seeing over 
tliern, at the same time that they completely hid all both 
of men and horses, except our heads and caps. To be 
sure, the lane wound a good deal; but there could be no 
doubt that it led down upon the village, and we were 


256 


THE HUSSAR. 


glad to take advantage of it inasmuch, as on either 
hand, there were vineyards and copses ; the first exceed-, 
ingly inconvenient for horse to pass through, the last 
affording ample shelter to an enemy’s ambuscades. On, 
then, we rode, obtaining a tolerably clear insight into 
the arrangements of the French, while we were our- 
selves concealed from observation, till we had approach- 
ed within a few hundred yards of the village. Here 
a crowd of poor people met us. The peasants, flying 
from their houses, were carrying, some one thing, some 
another, on their back, and all, wringing their hands, 
and howling piteously, appeared in the greatest distress. 
I asked them whether the French were in the village, 
and in what numbers. The answer was precisely such 
as I expected to receive. The place was full of soldiers, 
and more were continually pouring in, and passing 
through it. 

Satisfied with this information, and recollecting the 
orders which I had received, I determined to return ; 
we accordingly wheeled about, and so long as we re- 
tained the shelter of the lane nothing presented itself to 
startle us ; but no sooner had we emerged into the open 
country than we ascertained that our retreat was cut 
off. Pushing rapidly forward, and concealed from us 
by the woods and coppices, the enemy had thrown 
themselves between us and the body towards which we 
were moving, while their right, closing in fast, seemed 
as if it would gain the rear of the English line, and 
make prisoners not of us only but of all that were then 
in the field. Moreover, the heavy firing of cannon and 
the continued roar of musketry to the right of our 
position, assured us that there the battle was begun in 
earnest. There was not a moment to deliberate, the 
French had seen us at the same moment when we be 
came aware of their proximity, and a cloud of their 
cavalry darted towards us. I therefore called aloud to 
my comrades to follow, and dashing the rowels into my 


THE HUSSAR. 


257 


\ 

horse’s flanks, I struck off to the right hand at the top 
of my speed. 

For a minute or two our route lay over some turf, 
after which we were carried into the vineyards, through 
the stumps of which our noble animals threaded their 
way with extraordinary sure-footedness. The enemy, 
too, followed close at our heels, and from time to time 
discharged their pistols and carbines, the balls from 
which passed harmlessly over us. And now to our 
great horror, we saw before us a wall of loose stones 
strongly built, as all such fences are in this part of 
Spain, and extending along the whole face of the vine- 
yard ; to dash round which either to the one hand or the 
other was impossible, seeing that on both flanks the 
French had got the start of us. Its height might be 
about four feet, a very serious impediment to a dragoon 
horse, loaded as it is with hjs master’s accoutrements 
and baggage, and not always in hearty condition. Yet 
there was but one way of dealing with it. The fence 
must be charged, and he who could not or would not 
take it, must lose either his life or his liberty. I was 
the first to dash at the wall, and, as Providence would 
have it, my charger went clean over. Three out of the 
four men followed with a similar good fortune, but the 
horse of the fourth swerved and refused the leap. In 
an instant he was a prisoner, and as we galloped on we 
heard the shouts of the French troopers, who, them- 
selves unable to clear the fence, rejoiced beyond mea- 
sure at having overtaken even one of our party. 

The vineyard wall being now between us and our 
pursuers, we felt comparatively secure, for the shot flew 
too wide at all to incommode us, and we had leisure to 
look round from the point whence we had set out, and 
by which it had been our design to direct our move- 
ments in returning. But there was nothing there cal- 
culated to cheer or draw us on. The French, on the 
contrary, were between us and the left of our army, 
and the increasing violence of the fire both there and 
W2 


258 


THE HUSSAR. 


elsewhere showed that our comrades were terribly over- 
matched. Under such circumstances, I determined to 
make for a Spanish piquet, which occupying a com- 
manding hill right before us appeared to have been as 
yet overlooked ; though it lay to the rear, indeed, but 
directly in the line of the flank movement, by which 
the enemy manoeuvred to turn Lord William’s posi. 
tion. The Spanish officer, however, not being able to 
distinguish our accoutrements from those of the French, 
caused his people to fire upon us wdth great spirit ; and 
did not desist till we had approached so close as to make 
ourselves heard. Tiien, however, he commanded the 
fire to cease, and receiving us very kindly, pointed out 
a route by which we might make our way to the left 
of the English line. 

I had my Vimiero glass always about me, by the 
help of which I soon satisfied myself that the directions 
given by the Spaniard were good. Accordingly we 
struck across the country, and keeping a good way 
towards the rear, found ourselves by and by near the 
spot which it w'as our object to reach. But the view 
which I obtained of the progress of the battle, while 
ci'ossing the high road between the Spanish piquet and 
our own, was the reverse of encouraging. Every- 
where the English were giving way. Infantry broken 
and disordered were falling back in heaps; guns were 
either dismounted or limbering up for a retreat ; wdiile 
the French in overwhelming numbers were pressing on 
cheering and firing with the greatest animation. It 
was at this stage of the combat that we succeeded in 
re-uniting ourselves with the squadron which still stood 
where we had lefl it, under cover of the hill, but which 
was now prepared for a charge as soon as the head of 
the enemy’s column should have advanced sufficiently 
near to ensure its being given with effect. Nor had I re- 
sutned my place three minutes ere the orders to attack 
arrived. 1 was in the act, indeed of explaining what had 
happened, when Lord Frederick Benlinck, with a staff 


THE HUSSAR. 


259 


officer, came round the elbow of the hill waving his 
hat, and we the Bruns wickers and the 20 th, getting our 
horses into a trot, were in the heart of the French 
columns in a moment. 

It fell to our share to encounter some sqadrons of 
Grenadiers a Cheval — of all species of cavalry the least 
efficient, because encumbered by the very nature of their 
appointments. In addition to their swords and pistols, 
these men carried long muskets and bayonets, which, 
like the lancer’s spear, were stuck into a sort of boot 
attached to the saddle, and leaned against their should- 
ers. With our good sabres we disposed df them in five 
minutes, ayd then dashing at the infantry, we produced 
such confusion and dismay, that the whole column 
rolled back from the hill, like a wave which has broken 
against a cliff. Many gallant exploits were performed 
in that charge, which Lord Frederick led with a reck- 
lessness of danger that could not but inspire his troops 
with the utmost confidence. Yet had Lord Frederick 
well-nigh fallen a victim to his own intrepidity. He 
was in the heart of the enemy’s Hussars, laying about 
him, when a Frenchman made a cut at his head, which, 
but that a serjeant, named Dickson, pushed between 
him and the blow, must have proved fatal. For though 
Serjeant Dickson caught it in part upon his sword, 
such was the strength with which it was delivered, that 
it cleft Lord Frederick’s hat in two. Poor Dickson 
was almost immediately afterwads slain himself, so that 
Lord Frederick never had an opportunity of thanking 
him for his chivalrous devotion. 

Our charge cost us some valuable lives, and among 
others that of Captain Hanson of the 20th ; but it ac- 
complished its object. The French were driven back, 
and our routed infantry were enabled by these means 
to make good their retreat, if a retreat that can be 
called, which from the first had been a confused flight. 
And then were we called off, that the 20th and Bruns- 
wickers might form again and make ready for a second 


260 


THE HUSSAR. 


charge, while the Hussars protected a couple of field- 
pieces that were ordered to cover the retrogression. — 
But what a retrogression it was — for, as I have already 
stated, all our baggage had followed us, and both it and 
the women and children belonging to the army were on 
the east side of the river. Of these no heed of course 
could be taken, and they fell into the enemy’s hands ; 
while guns abandoned by their drivers, or disabled by 
the death of their horses, or the destruction of iheir 
wheels, stood here and there to be picked up by the vic- 
tors, and preserved as trophies of our defeat. 

The two guns to which we were attached, after 
keeping up their fire till the French were close upon 
them, limbered up and moved to the rear. Repeatedly 
the enemy formed as if to charge them ; but the bold 
front which our squadron presented struck them with 
awe, and they held back. Away, therefore, we went, 
till we had come within a short distance of the bridge, 
which, to our horror and amazement, though covered 
with the rout of the army, was on fire. The fascines 
that filled up the space between the double layer of 
boards were blazing terribly, and the smoke gathering 
in a cloud overhead, so completely enveloped the flying 
men, that band after band, as it reached that point, be- 
came to us invisible. What then were we to do I With 
our tumbrils full of ammunition and our heavy pieces, 
could we venture to pass between two volumes of flame, 
or were we to halt on this side and die with arms in 
our hands, or be taken ? 

Captain Jacks, fortunately for us, was a man of deci- 
sion, and the officer commanding the artillery proved 
equally intrepid. “ Dash at it, men,” was the cry ; 
and we did dash at it. With the very flames curling 
up on both sides, and the smoke meeting in an arch 
over our heads, we galloped across, bearing off our guns, 
tun^brils, and all our people safely. Yet scarcely 
were we across when a loud crash gave notice that the 
planks had failed. The bridge was broken, and multi- 


THE HUSSAR. 


261 


tudes of those who were crossing at the moment perish, 
ed in its ruins. 

Such was the issue of this disasterous day, of which, 
as far as I am aware, no faithful account has been pub. 
lished, either in the Gazette or elsewhere, The rout 
was on our side complete, for we lost all our baggage, 
several of our guns, all our women and children, and 
a prodigious number of men, either slain on the field, 
or drowned in crossing thq river. 

Neither did Suchet permit us to continue our march 
after the river was crossed in peace : he took the fords, 
and drove us back through Villa Franca in a state of 
disorder that beggars all description; and had he judged 
it expedient to pursue, would have destroyed us, with- 
out doubt, entirely. 

Happily for us, the nature of his political position 
was not such as to permit his improving the victory, 
and we were enabled in consequence to re-assemble 
about Tarragona, and to present once more something 
like the appearance of an organised army, 


262 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

A SPANISH PARTEDA ADVENTURES AT THE OUTPOSTS. 

I HAVE alluded, "in the previous chapter, to the loss of 
one of my followers, whose horse refusing to leap the 
vineyard wall, placed him at the mercy of the French 
cavalry that were in pursuit of us. 

About noon of the day in which we began to muster 
once more near Tarragona, we were very much sur- 
prised to see our brother-soldier arrive in the bivouac, 
thoroughly stripped, to be sure, seeing that the enemy 
had taken from him his very boots, but sound 'in wind 
and limb, and both willing and able to resume his place 
in the ranks of the squadron. 

He described himself as having been exceedingly 
well treated on the whole by his captors. They plun- 
dered him, no doubt, and considered, with great jus- 
tice, that they had found in his horse a very valuable 
prize ; but after carrying him to the rear, and putting 
him along with the other prisoners under charge of a 
guard, they had attended with perfect humanity to all 
his wants, and supplied him with food and wine regu- 
larly. A soldier of the Foreign Hussars, however, 
was not the sort of man to fold up his arms and rest 
satisfied with the condition of a prisoner of war. Our 
friend watched his opportunity, and in the dead of a 
dark night gave his guard the slip, and joined us, as I 
have stated, almost in a state of nudity, on the follow- 
ing day. Nor was this the only arrival in our camp 
from the same quarter. 

It is not for me to assign a reason why not only the 
heavy baggage of the army, but the very women and 
children, were permitted to cross the Noya, and move 
up to our line, while we expected every moment to be 
engaged with the enemy. Even in situations where the 


the hussar. 


263 


iretreat is far more open and more secure, a general 
usually removes such impediments as far as possible to 
the rear; and, on the present occasion, any one would 
'have imagined that so much regard at least would have 
been had to the safety of non-combatants; but it was 
not so. Having first of all committed the grave error 
of carrying a comparatively weak force across a diffi- 
cult river, and exposing it to be attacked there by an 
army surpassing it as much in numbers as it excelled it 
in the composition of the troops. Lord William Ben- 
tinck summed up his imprudenee by sanctioning the 
advance of mules, waggons, sutlers’ establishments, 
women, and children, as if the battle had been already 
won, and his corps were in the full career of victory. 
Only one consequence could arise out of such a prepa- 
ration, and it did arise. All the baggage, supplies of 
various kinds, the women, the children, the sutlers, and 
I know not how much more, fell into the enemy’s 
hands, who had in consequence the best ground for as- 
serting that the English authority in Catalonia and Va- 
lencia was overthrown. It is but an act of justice, 
however, to record with what perfect generosity they 
conducted themselves towards the poor creatures who 
came thus into their power. The women were treated 
not only with delicacy, but with kindness. Tents were 
pitched for them in rear of the French lines. A guard 
was mounted day and night, who had it in charge to 
protect them from insult; and rations of bread and 
meat, and wine, were served out as regularly to them 
and their little ones as to thb troops. Finally, after 
keeping them there a space of three days, they sent 
them back under an escort, each woman being loaded 
with provisions for- herself and children, and all vying 
with one another in the praises which they bestowed 
upon their captors. 

It is pleasant to record such things of an enemy ; it 
is not less pleasant to be in a condition to describe the 
fidelity with which the Spaniards bore themselves, on 


264 


tilE HUSSAR. 


all occasions* towards their English allies. 1 say no-* 
thing of their conduct in the field, because whenever I 
happened to see them engaged, they invariably did their 
duty; but during the progress of the rout, of which I 
have just given an account* an event befel* which 
showed how far the Spanish people were willing to com- 
mit themselves in order to save an Englishman from 
injury. When our army moved out of Villa Franca 
we left behind, of course, the paymasters and paymas- 
ters’ clerks of the different regiments. One of these 
latter, a serjeant in an infantry regiment, got So drunk, 
that, when his countrymen were driven through the 
place, and the French rushed in and took possession, he 
was fast asleep, and totally incapable of providing for 
his own safety. 

His landlord saw his plight, and hastened to screen 
him from its consequences.. He stripped the drunken 
man of his uniform ; concealed it as well as his arms 
somewhere about the house, and arraying the soldier in 
the attire of a Spanish peasant, watched beside his bed 
till he awoke, and then told him all that had happened. 
The consequence wjw, that the serjeant being mistaken 
for a waiter at the hotel, attended on the French officers 
during their sojourn in the place, and was ready in his 
proper garb to bid us welcome when we returned to it. 
I may as well add, that being tried by a court-martial* 
and found guilty* he was sentenced to be reduced, which 
sentence was carried into effect, though they permitted 
him still to act as clerk to the paymaster. 

The sojourn of the French in Villa Franca was not 
of long continuance. Having levied a contribution on 
the inhabitants, they suddenly broke up from their 
quarters, and retiring across the Labrigat to their old 
position, left only a chain of piquets on the south side 
of the river to watch our movements. These consisted 
merely in a re-^occupation of the ground which the ene-* 
my had evacuated, and the establishment of posts so far 
in front of it* as to guard against all hazard of being 


THE HtJSSAR. 


265 


taken by surprise. At the outposts, I, as serjeant-ma-* 
jor, had no business ; but our cavalry, being scattered 
through the villages and farm-hous^ near the town, I 
found myself with about fifteen men quartered in a 
a detached mansion, which bore about it an air^ not of 
magnificence certainly, but of great comfort, such as 
seemed to class the proprietor among the more substan- 
tial land occupiers of his province. 

When we first moved into the estantia, we were re- 
ceived with a good deal of reserve, mixed, however, 
with some appearance of kindness and good-will. The 
latter feeling Hettendorff, who was on all occasions my 
associate, took the utmost pains to improve ; and his 
thorough knowledge of the language gave him facilities 
which he v/as careful neither to neglect nor to abuse. — > 
He soon discovered that to our host the French were 
objects of especial hatred — that he was well disposed to 
open his heart to the English, as far as might be con- 
sistent with the dictates of prudence— but that having 
heard a great deal of our marauding propensities, he 
was fearful of giving us his confidence, lest we should 
regard one kind act as nothing more than a ground 
from which to aim at another. Hettendorff, thanking 
him for his candour, made haste lo assure him that 
such was by no means our disposition, and that he 
might safely open to us both his heart and his stores, 
Inasmuch as we should never dream of abusing them. 
Finally, it was settled between them that, provided I, 
as commanding the detachment, would undertake that 
no depredations should be committed, the Padrone 
Would confer on us many serious advantages, not the 
least prominent of which consisted in this, that he 
would every day supply us for two-pence with as much 
wine of the country as we could purchase at a sutler’s 
store for twice the amount. As in duty bound, 1 came 
in at once to the arrangement, and for several weeks 
we spent our time under his roof with great satisfaction 
VOL.1.— X 


266 


THE HUSSAR. 


to ourselves and very little to the inconvenience of ouf 
entertainer. 

Our host was iP man of considerable wealth, a large 
portion of which consisted in flocks of sheep and cat- 
tle — which, feeding on the level pasturage round his 
house, were, on the first alarm of an advance of the 
French army, driven to the mountains. By these 
means he assured me that he had contrived to avert the 
ruin under which most of his neighbours had sunk J 
while, at the same time, he was accumulating to him- 
self a store of valuables, taken from the persons of the 
invaders ; for it came out that he not qjQly hated the 
French, but acted as a partisan against them. He 
was, in short, a guerrilla, and the leader of a band of 
guerrillas, who, since the province was first invaded, 
had put to death some hundreds of their invaders. — 
Their mode of proceeding was this : — 

As soon as the French sent troops into the neigh- 
bourhood, these pugnacious agriculturists, having first 
driven away their flocks and herds to the mountains, 
laid themselves out for mere active operations. They 
would abide in their own houses during the day, but at 
night they sallied forth, and having communicated one 
to another such information as they might have been 
able to collect, they arranged their plans accordingly. 
There was a stream near my host’s dwelling, the name 
of which I have forgotten, which, intersecting the line 
of the high road from Villa Franca to Felichi, was 
crossed by a bridge of a single arch. On both sides of 
that arch the banks W'ere so closely planted with under- 
wood, that by an ordinary observer its existence njight 
well escape notice — for the rivulet was quite inconside- 
rable, and there was no such rise in the centre as to 
make the common traveller aware when he stood upon 
a bridge at all. There our Padrone, with some six or 
eight of his neighbours, were in the constant practice of 
laying themselves up in ambush. They would never 
attack a body of the enemy which were in numbers 


THE HUSSAR. 


267 


superior to themselves; neither, indeed, were they 
much given to wage war upon equal terms. But the 
stragglers from a column, or the weak, or the wounded, 
that lagged after a retreat, they were sure to pounce 
upon, and they invariably put them to death without 
mercy. I inquired how many had fallen on their side 
since the contest began — and I was assured that they 
had lost only seven lives, which lives were foolishly 
thrown away at the outset ere they learned to reserve 
their attacks for such as they were sure to overpower. 
But of the French some hundreds had fallen beneath 
their blows, and their bodies now enriched the soil of 
his farm, as their arms and even their clothing were 
piled up in his secret store-room. The better to con- 
vince me of all this, the good man led me to several 
places where, from beneath a slight covering of earth, 
legs and arms were protuding; while in a closet in his 
house he showed me helmets, carbines, pistols, swords, 
muskets, and even great.coats, hung up to the amount, 
I should conceive, of little less than five or six score. 

If he hated the French cordially, our host gave the 
most substantial proofs that he entertained a widely dif- 
ferent feeling towards the English ; for he supplied our 
horses with forage and ourselves with wine and bread, 
and other luxuries, at a cost so moderate as hardly to 
amount to a remuneration. Yet though they were 
fully alive to his kindnee.s, and repaid it by abstaining 
rigidly from plunder, even in trifles, the method which 
he chose to adopt in dispensing it excited in no common 
degree the curiosity of the soldiers. We were instruct- 
ed to leave our empty canteens every night in a certain 
part of the house, and in the morning we found them 
again filled with wine; nobody being able or willing to 
tell w’hence the supply came, inasmuch as there were 
neither casks nor pig-skins to be seen about the pre- 
mises. 

This, together with the production from time to time 
of a choice morsel of bacon, so wrought upon the 


268 


THE HUSSAR. 


anxieties of my people, that they determined, let it cost 
what it might, to discover the situation of the host’s 
magazine. Now, it so happened that the Padrone was 
a remarkably good Catholic ; regularly as Sunday came 
round he repaired to a neighbouring church, being con- 
tent to leave his domicile in charge sometimes of his 
wife, sometimes of a little girl of eleven or twelve years 
bid, and sometimes of both. 

It was on a Sunday that my fellows determined to 
push their researches to the uttermost ; and they were 
too skilful in the art of marauding not to push them 
successfully. 

While some kept the landlady in conversation, and 
some amused the child, others, after having ransacked 
the interior of the casa, mounted the roof, and, observ- 
ing that the thatch lay awkwardly on a particular part 
of it near one of the gables, they pulled it about till it 
began to move. Thus encouraged, they pushed on, 
and gradually rolled back a sort of trap-door, which un- 
closed to them the mouth of a wide aperture, against 
one of the sides of which the top of a ladder was rest- 
ing. To descend that ladder was an act as it were of 
intuition, and they became forthwith masters of the se- 
cret which had so long been kept back from them. 
The house had on this side a double wall : there was 
the gable or outside wall, between which and the parti- 
tion that closed in the apartments on that wing lay an 
aperture, measuring some twelve or fourteen feet in 
width ; and there, arranged in order, stood barrels of 
bacon, skins of wine, casks of flour, with brandy, oil, 
wearing apparel, linen, indeed every thing, not even ex- 
cepting plate, of which a wealthy housekeeper was 
likely to be in want. I must do my people the justice 
to say, that they returned as they had entered, empty- 
handed ; and that, chuckling over their own skill, they 
replaced the trap-door with so much care, that I have 
lio reason to believe the visit was ever suspected. 

I have stated that while we continued to occupy 


THE HUSSAR. 


269 


these quarters a chain of posts was established a good 
way in front — one of which, consisting of a subaltern 
of cavalry, two serjeants, two corporals, and fifty troop- 
ers, was posted in a guard-house upon the high road, 
not far from the Ordal. It was the business of the offi- 
cer commanding this party to detach, just before dark- 
ness set in every niglit, about a thousand yards to his 
front a corporal with eight men, who in their turn 
pushed forward a couple of videttes to a short distance 
further along the high road. Then by patrolling con- 
tinually from the rear to the front, and occasionally di- 
verging right and left, such a look-out was kept, or was 
supposed to be kept, that no surprise could possibly oc- 
cur. And to sum up all, the officer’s instructions re- 
quired him, so soon as daylight should return, to ride 
with his whole piquet as close to the enemy’s posts as 
a regard to his own safety would allow ; concerning 
which, after he had reconnoitred them both to the right 
and left, he was expected to send in such a report as 
circumstances might appear to warrant. 

These orders, laid down with such precision, that 
theie was no possibility of misunderstanding them, had 
been obeyed from day to day with perfect accuracy, 
and still the report sent in gave notice that all con- 
tinued quiet in fVont There seemed, moreover, to be 
little inclination on either side to engage in skirmishes, 
for the patrols never met, or if they did, both sides in- 
variably drew off without coming to blows. It came 
to pass, however, one morning that the face of affairs 
underwent a change,* and that our piquet, consisting 
then of a troop of Brunswick Hussars, were the suf- 
ferers. The case was this : — 

There was one Lieutenant Schultz, a brave officer 
enough, in charge of the post on that occasion. He 
held his men as usual under cover during the day, and 
patrolled well and carefully all night ; and as the dawn 
gathered strength, he kept them mounted and ready to 
ejcecute the accustomed reconnoissance along the ene- 
X2 


a70 


THE HUSSAIl. 


my’s line. It may be well to state that the piquet- 
house having formerly been a tavern, was of consider- 
able extent. Ruinous, it doubtless was ; that is to say, 
the roof was in a great measure pulled to pieces, and 
the doors and windows were all knocked in ; yet it af- 
forded tolerable shelter both to men and horses; the 
stables being, like the casa itself, a degree better than 
sheds. From this post then Mr. Schultz, after receiving 
the last of his patrols, made ready to advance, and so 
soon as the dawn had increased into broad day, he car- 
ried his design into execution. He made, as usual, first 
for the corporal’s party, which he picked up and added 
to his own, and then, with the whole troop in his train, 
he rode leisurely along the front of the French videttes 
and made his observations. There was nothing either 
to the right or left of the road which could in the 
smallest degree disturb his equanimity ; so he gave the 
word, “ Face to your right, and return home.” 

The troop reached the piquet-house unmolested, and 
began forthwith to unbridle and feed. Where there are 
no stalls, as in the situation which I am now describing, 
this latter operation is facilitated by means of nose-bags, 
while the men shake out the haversacks for 6uch frag- 
ments as may adhere to the crevices, and rap their can- 
teens in order to ascertain whether or not they are 
ernpty. 

Such then was the employment of the party in 
general, when one of their number, who had strayed 
accidentally into the garden, returned in all haste to as- 
sure them that there was a Frenchman in the story 
overhead. “ I saw the fellow’s helmet,” said he, “ a s^ 
cast my eyes accidentally towards the upper window^ 
and now let’s hunt him out as we would a rat, and 
make him our prisoner.” In a moment ther|.f\^as a 
loud yell, and the men drawing their swoijdsT^ began, 
without order or regularity, to rush up stairs. But they 
little knew what awaited them there. At the top of the 
landing-place stood a body of French troops who 


THE HUSSAR. 


271 


•saluted them with a volley, beneath the weight of which 
they came rolling down ; some killed, some wouiided, 
and others utterly confounded. 

Nor did the matter end there. About a hundred and 
twenty French grenadiers came pouring down with 
fixed bayonets, stabbing and firing upon all whom they 
met. Our people, completely taken by surprise, offered 
no resistance. The result was, that with the exception 
of one man, who being abroad at the moment, escaped 
on foot, the whole piquet, including Mr. Schultz, were 
made prisoners, and with their horses and arms were 
marched without delay across the neutral ground into 
the French lines. 

When the sad news reached us, there was of course 
a great deal of lamentation, with something of blame 
heaped at head-quarters on the Lieutenant; yet the 
fault was not his. He only obeyed his orders, and fob 
lowed the example which his predecessors set him, 
when he left his piquet-house unguarded, and patrolling 
with all his force to a distance from the high road, ex- 
posed himself to the disaster that actually overtook him ; 
tor this act of negligence on our part was not unnoticed 
by the enemy, and they turned it to account. Watch- 
ing the opportunity, they threw forward a body of gre- 
nadiers, who mounting to the upper story, there lay hid 
till Uie moment for action arrived, and though prema- 
turely disturbed, did their work effectually. 

From that time forth care was taken that the piquet- 
house should not again be deserted by the whole of the 
guard, a serjeant and twelve men being appointed to 
watch there, while the officer, with the rest, pursued his 
course of reconnoitring. 


274 


THE HUSSAR. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

HOSTILITIES SLACKEN, AND AT LAST COME TO AN END. 

There was great grief at head-quarters for the loss of 
this piquet, as well as an earnest desire to take revenge, 
and no great while elapsed ere orders were issued for a 
general movement to the front. What the object of that 
movement Vnight have been, or how it was conducted in 
parts which came not under my own observation, it is 
impossible for me to state. But the results, as far as I 
can speak of them proved eminently disastrous. 

The French occupied, at this time, a position on the 
farther side of the Lobrigat. They could be assailed 
to the right and left of the high road, through fords, 
whereas'^he column that should move by the road itself 
must carry a bridge, covered not only by fortified 
houses somewhat in advance, but by batteries mounted 
with very heavy cannon. There were, for example, 
three pieces on the same level with the bridge itself, 
which swept the road to the front. There were four 
— two on each flank, which looked up and down the 
stream ; there were a couple of twenty-six pounders 
on a mound just above the lower battery ; and higher 
still a thirty.six on a travelling carriage. 

Moreover, these formidable works were to be ap- 
proached over the summit of an acclivity, which, dip- 
ping down abruptly into the vale through which the 
Lobrigat runs, must necessarily expose the columns as 
they approached to the whole weight of fire that could 
be brought upon them. Such was the point against 
which our column was directed ; the leading regiment 
of which were Spaniards: while two others, in like- 
manner headed by Spaniards, took to the right and 
left, and moved with great gallantry upon the fords. 

In such operations the cavalry have, for the most 


THE HUSSAR. 


273 


part, little to do. We cannot storm houses nor clamber 
up the parapets of redoubts ; we are therefore kept in 
hand, as the military expression is, that we may be 
used either to improve a victory or protect a retreat. 
Accordingly, our business this day consisted for some 
hours in sitnply moving forward at a slow rate, and 
listening to the ceaseless discharges of cannon and 
musketry, which told of the woik of death in which 
our dismounted comrades were engaged. Thus it was 
till we arrived near the southern base of the height, be- 
yond which lay the Lobrigat and the bridge of which 
we were to win the command, when other evidences of 
the serious nature of the affray began to show them- 
selves. Several spring waggons loaded with mangled 
men met us, the cries from -which, not less than the 
sight of the blood, as it oozed through the boarding and 
stained the ground, affected us very deeply. For my 
own part, I do not hesitate to admit that there came 
into my head at that moment ideas more gloomy than 
I recollect to have had conjured up by any oth r spec- 
tacle that has crossed my path through life. “This 
will probably be my own fate in a few minutes,” said 
I to myself ; and, as if my words had been prophetic, 
we received, almost immediately, an order to advance. 
A staff-officer came riding to the rear, hat in hand, and 
called out, “Cavalry to the front,” when we put our 
horses to the trot, and hurried forward. 

We gained the brow of the hill in a few minutes, 
where, surrounded by his staff, the General had taken 
up a position. His glass was out, and he was examining 
the L.idge apparently with great care, as well as the 
loop-holed houses from which the French were retreat- 
ing, and of which a body of Spaniards had just got pos- 
session. “ Now,” said he, “ push forward a couple of 
six-pounders, and silence the enemy’s fire ; and look 
you, let the cavalry advance also, and cover the guns.” 
The orders were no sooner issued than they were obey- 
ed. Two six-pounders, escorted by our squadron, gal. 


274 


THE HUSSAR. 


loped down the descent, to engage six pieces of the 
largest caliber, and securely posted ! — an act ofQuixot- 
ism second only to that of the renowned Don himself, 
when he ran full tilt against the windmills. Neither 
was there a man or officer, either among us or the 
bombardiers, that did not feel how absurd was the pro, 
ceeding. What are we to do here ?” said one to the 
other as we pushed forward. Yet we took our ground 
with the utmost steadiness ; the guns were unlimbered, 
and the artillery-men began to fire. 

It was quite evident that the French held us in sove- 
reign contempt, for they took no notice whatever of our 
approach. They waited, indeed, till at two hundred 
yards’ distance they saw our gunners grasp tiieir 
matches, when they gave us a single round which 
knocked over both our pieces, killed and wounded all 
the horses and men that stood near them, and placed us 
in the agreeable condition of persons who have altoge- 
ther erred in their calculations. It is indeed impossible 
to conceive a piece of work more cleverly or more ef- 
fectually done than this. 

TiiC wretched six-pounders lay shattered in the dust. 
Besides them were the mangled remains of the artillery- 
men, while we looked on as yet unscathed, but in every 
sense of the word powerless. It was well for us that 
Lord William caused the bugle to sound a retreat, and 
that we obeyed it instantly. In three minutes more 
there would have been an end of the Foreign Hussars, 
for while the shouts of the enemy rung in our ears, 
their round shot ploughed up the ground among our 
horses’ feel, and the grape went whistling between our 
files into the side of the hill beyond. It has ever since 
been a matter of uns;.'eakable surprise to me that we did 
not lose a man in that wild affair. A troop-horse was 
killed, but the rider escaped unhurt, and regained his 
comrades after they had secured themselves on the op. 
posite side of the hill. 

Whatever the General’s plan might have been, it fail. 


THE HUSSAE. 


275 


ed in all its details. Our column, unable to force even 
the bridge, retreated, while the Spaniards, after carrying 
the fords, were attacked in force, and driven back again 
with great loss. Not, therefore, over and above delighted 
either with ourselves or our chief, we retraced our steps 
to Villa Franca, where arrangements were made to 
spend the winter. 

Villa Franca, though a clean and airy town* was not 
sufficiently large to contain the whole of our army/ 
Most of us were therefore scattered among the hamlets 
and villages near ; and among others, the foreign troop 
returned to the cantonments from which they had been 
moved in consequence of the surprise of Mr. Shultz’ 
piquet at Ordal. Our landlord received us very kindly* 
and perceiving that we were not disposed to abuse his 
kindness, he took care to render our situation as agreea- 
ble as possible. 

The consequence was, that having little or nothing 
to do— no enemy threatening, nor accidents of any sort 
occurring, week after week and month after month 
rolled on, almost without our being enabled to perceive 
that the winter was rapidly wearing itself out. 

I do not recollect during all this period any adven- 
ture that deserves to be recorded, unless it be the cir- 
cumstances which attended an excursion to Villa Fran- 
ca, in which, on new year’s day, 1814, I took part. 
As the quarters of our squadron were only a mile and a 
half from the town, and we wished to spend the day 
jovially together, my four brother-serjeants and myself 
obtained permissibn of the Commanding-officer to be 
absent from roll-call in the evening. This done, we 
proceeded about noon into Villa Franca, and after or- 
dering dinner to be ready at five o’clock, we amused 
ourselves as soldiers are apt to do, by wandering from 
street to street, and seeing as many sights as these hap- 
pened to afford. 

We then adjourned to our hotel just sufficiently fati- 
gued to relish the excellent fare that was placed before 


276 


THE HUSSAR. 


US, and to do justice to the healths which on that great 
day in the year it is the custom in my country to quaff. 
We had not, however, sat long at table when there en- 
tered our room a monk of the order of La Rosklia, very 
dirty in his person, very meanly dressed, and carrying 
in his hand the great emblem of his calling, a begging 
box. Probably I need not observe that Santa Rosalia 
is the great patroness of the eyes ; that persons afflicted 
with ophthalmia or any other malady that effects the 
vision, have only to make interest with her in order to 
be cured, and that there is no method of ingratiating 
oneself into the good graces of the Saint so effectual as 
the act of bestowing alms upon her votaries. 

The monk who visited us ! o‘day carried on his breast 
a wooden box, with a slit in one of the sides, through 
which donations might be thrown in. Above the box 
was a marble plate having a pair of glass or painted 
eyes laid on it, and higher still was a small image of 
the Saint, likewise in marble. The whole were sus- 
pended about his neck by a riband, and his air and 
manner indicated at once excessive poverty and great 
humility. 

His first prayer was, “ Give me a trifle for the honour 
of Santa Rosalia.” We looked at the man, and pulling 
out a few coppers each, we presented them to him. 
Encouraged by this he ventured to insinuate that if 
food were offered to him he could eat. We imme- 
diately ordered the waiter to lay a plate for the holy 
man on a little table that stood i:ear,and to fill it. The 
monk ate greedily, and looking up, threw out a hint 
that a glass of wine would be acceptable. He got it, 
cmd looking down upon his empty platter, observed 
Providence had blessed him with an excellent appetite. 
Now, though all this was done with perfect gravity 
there twinkled in his eye a sort of humour which we 
were neither slow to perceive nor backward to encour- 
age. 

More food was sent to him and more wine, till he 


THE HUSSAR. 277 

finished his bottle after which, observing that we had 
dessert before us, he proposed to join our party. 

“ He’s an impudent scoundrel,” said one. — “ Oh ! 
never mind,” replied another — “let him come — we’ll 
make him drunk enough, and then see what’s in him.” 
Accordingly we made room for him at our table, and 
HettendorfF taking him in hand, he was plied with wine 
till not f»nly selfirespect, but a regard to common decency 
abandoned him. 

It was then proposed that he should sing a song ; 
he refused for a while, and then struck up such a tis- 
sue of ribaldry that we were ashamed of him. Nor 
were we the only persons in the house whom his con- 
duct scandalised. The landlord and the waiter over- 
hearing his ditty, rushed in from an adjoining apart- 
ment, and loading him with abuse, insisted that he 
should quit the house on the instant. But he was too 
far gone by this time to have any control over himself 
When he rose it was only to stagger about and to break 
box, plate, image, and any thing else, and then to be 
knocked down stairs wdth as little ceremony as if he 
had not belonged to one of the privileged classes. 

Having thus got rid of our intrusive guest, and dis- 
cussed as much wine and tobacco as we felt disposed 
to consume, we adjourned to the coftee-room, where 
among other persons present was our old acquaintance, 
Captain Alberte, or as we familiarly styled him, the 
Knight of the CaiKllestick. There was nothing in this 
re-encounter at all calculated to excite in us uneasy 
feelings, for Captain Alberto had already taken care to 
convince us, that by him no angry recollection of the 
past w’as retained. He came up to us when we were 
on parade, the morning of our advance against the 
bridge, and assured us that all was forgotten ; and now 
he met us with an outstretched hand, and professions of 
hearty good-will. Nay, it was not without difficulty 
that we resisted his pressing demand to be regarded 
as our host while we sat in the coffee-room ; so anxious 

voL. 1.— y 


278 


THE HUSSAR. 


Was he to relieve our minds from every feeling in the 
most remote degree allied to distrust. Nor was this 
all ; he introduced us to several of his brother officers ; 
told the whole story himself, and bore with the best 
humour the quizzing of his friends, which, to confess 
the truth, was somewhat unmerciful. Captain Alberto 
was indeed an excellent specimen of a Spanish gentle- 
man and man of honour, who will indeed avenge an in- 
sult if he can, but who never makes a promise, at least 
in private life, without keeping it. 

From this date up to the return of spring, there was 
on both sides a complete suspension of military opera- 
tions. Rumours of peace indeed began to spread among 
us ere we again took . the field, and finding that the 
enemy had retreated from their strong position, about 
Molins del Rey towards Ilospitalite and other places in 
the rear, we would no longer doubt as to their growing 
weakness. Still their movements were all made with 
becoming circumspection. 

Our patrols cleared the way for us, our piquets con- 
tinued to cover our front ; and so we moved on cros- 
sing the Lobrigat by the bridge which the enemy had 
blown up, and pressing them back from Hospitalite in- 
to Barcelona. That this retrogression was caused not 
by any superior strength on our part, but by political 
considerations, of which it would be unwise in me to 
speak, nobody who has seen the position of Hospitable 
can doubt. A range of inaccessible hills traversed only 
by the main road was then in the enemy’s keeping, 
from which it would have proved impossible for us to 
dislodge them had we surpassed them in numbers, as 
much as, in point of fact, we fell short of them. 

I had well-nigh forgotten to mention that when we 
opened the campaign of 1814 a new chief was at our 
head, .and Lord William Bentinck, recalled to the man- 
agement of Sicily, and given up the command to Sir 
William Clinton, of wdiose skill as a leader no oppor- 
tunity was given of judging, inasmuch as he had 


THE HUSSAR. 


279 


scarcely appeared as such ere hostilities ceased. Whe- 
ther this took place under the sanction of a formal 
treaty, or whether it was brought about fortuitously, I 
do not know. But it is certain that though we encamp' 
ed about Barcelona and held the garrison in some sort 
blockaded, nothing was done on either side that can be 
spoken of as a deed of violence. 

We were thus situated, rumour after rumour coming 
in, now of the great victory won by Lord Wellington, 
now of the advance of northern powers upon Paris, 
when, one day in March, I think about the 29th, an 
order was issued for the whole army, Spaniards as well 
as English, to form in a long double line along the main 
road. The troops stood by brigades — here a brigade 
of Spanish infantry- — there a brigade of British infantry 
— here a body of horse — there a detachment of artillery 
- — all the troops of all the allied nations being interlaced, 
and all extending to a great distance, both rearward 
and to the front. For ourselves, our position was a rC' 
markable one, just under the guns of Monjouic, so close, 
indeed, to the works, that we could distinguish the very 
features of the garrison as they crowded the rampart to 
witness the spectacle. Yet no acts of hostility passed 
between us. On the contrary, the French appeared, 
like ourselves, to be equipped for an occashm of gala ; 
and the result showed that, in coming to this conclusion, 
we had not committed an error. 

The lines had been formed perhaps an hour and a 
half, and each man asked his neighbour what was gO' 
ing to happen, when some staff-officers came at full 
speed from the front, and passed the word to mount and 
draw swords. We did so, of course, and presently? the 
thunder of artillery, as brigade after brigade fired its 
salute, warned us that some great personage was ap, 
preaching. All eyes were accordingly turned in the 
proper direction, and in due time two horsemen made 
their appearance, followed at an interval of perhaps 
ten or twelve paces by a very numerous staff, One 


280 


THE HUSSAH. 


of these persons we instantly recognised as Sir Wm. 
Clinton — the other was pointed out to us as Ferdinand 
VII., tlie King of Spain. They rode very slowly, there- 
by affording us an excellent opportunity of examining 
the King’s appearance — and it struck me at the moment 
to be by no means forbidding. He was not a tall man, 
but he was stoutly made — his leg and thigh, in particu- 
lar, being muscular, and his broad face had about it an 
expression of good humour, to which, in all probability, 
the florid nature of his complexion contributed. I per- 
fectly recollect that he was dressed in a blue coat, with 
white leather breeches, and high boots — and that he 
smiled upon us as he passed, like a man who rejoices 
in some striking and unlooked-for change of fortune. 

We stood upon our ground till the cortege passed, 
and then filed off ; the French garrison not only offer- 
ing no interruption to the ceremony, but firing, as our 
artillery did, a salute in honour of the King, 


THE HUSSAR. 


l?8l 


CHAPTER XXVI. 

I VISIT THE CONTINENT OF ITALY, AND MEET WITH VARI- 
OUS ADVENTURES THERE. 

The war in Spain was now virtually ended ; for Ferdi- 
nand was restored to his throne, and the French had 
bound themselves by treaty to evacuate such strongholds 
as they still held in the south provinces. Under such 
circumstances it was considered by those in power that 
a portion of the English army might be withdrawn, 
and employed to greater advantage on another theatre 
of strife which had recently been opened. Among the 
corps that were appointed to march to Tarragona, and 
there take shipping, the Foreign Hussars were num- 
bered ; and variety being every thing in the life of a 
soldier, we prepared in the highest spirits to seek our 
fortunes in this new field. When we reached Tar- 
ragona the transports had not yet arrived, and we were, 
in consequence, put into cantonments in the town. I 
was thus enabled to obtain a more perfect survey of the 
place than my former hurried visit had afforded ; and 
the impressions which had then been produced, as well 
relative to the strength of the works, as to the prodigious 
force that had been required to injure them, even par- 
tially, was in all respects confirmed. Not even now 
were the houses secured from falling, while the breaches 
in the town wall, though partially filled up, showed by 
their extreme narrowness how little effect the violence 
of gunpowder could produce upon such masonry. In 
other respects, there was not much in the place to inte- 
rest or amuse, so that I was far from regretting the cir- 
custance when the squadron arrived ; and we set sail, 
under sufficient convoy, for the coast of Italy. 

Our instructions were to steer for Leghorn, before 
which Lord William Bentinck, with an army from 

Y'Z 


282 


THE HUSSAR. 


Sicily, was understood to have sat down. We had not, 
however, been long at sea when a storm arose, which 
not only scattered the fleet and put us in great danger, 
but drove us so completely out of our proper course, 
that, when it abated, we were farther from Leghorn than 
we had been in Tarragona. Moreover, the wind blew 
right a-head, and all our efforts to make way by tack- 
ing came to nothing. The consequence was, that we 
did not reach Leghorn till after the place had fallen, 
and Lord William, with his corps, was in full march to- 
wards Genoa. Thither, then, we were directed to pro- 
ceed — not by land, on which we were most anxious to 
plant foot — but by water, an element over which the 
application of steam to locomotive purposes had not yet 
enabled our English sailors to establish a command ; 
and never, surely, was coasting voyage more irksome. 
From first to last the wind blew strong against us, so 
that we arrived at Genoa, as we had done at Leghorn, 
just time enough to ascertain that, whatever glory was 
to be acquired, our more fortunate comrades had reaped, 
inasmuch as the enemy had evacuated the place, and the 
English were in possession. 

There was much to lament in all this, not only with 
reference to the honour that might have been acquired, 
but in respect of prize money ; for, though we heard 
the cannonading, being at sea, we were not near enough 
to advance the slightest claim to be treated as conquer- 
ors. At the moment, however, we were not aware of 
the faet,oand accordingly landed in the^iighest possible 
spiiits-bgth men and horses being, in spite of the protract- 
ed passape, in good condition, and eager for employment. 
But em loyment as men of war, was no longer to be 
thought ofi" Napoleon had already abdicated the throne of 
France — there was peace in Europe — and the French 
troops, which had retreated from Genoa only occupied their 
quarters, about ten miles towards Mantua, till the op- 
portunity of returning to their own country should be 
afforded. Our sojourn, therefore, in this, one of the 


THE HUSSAR. 


283 


most beautiful sea-port towns of Italy, was marked by 
the occurrence of few incidents, such as the ordinary 
traveller in the year 1837 may fail to encounter. 

I do not know how far the influence of novelty may 
have operated upon me, but my impression this day is, 
that I have never seen a town more perfectly beautiful 
than Genoa. Whether you have regard to the spacious 
and airy streets, or to the gorgeous residences of the no- 
bility and gentry, it seems difficult to imagine any settle- 
ment of civilised man more attractive ; for the purity of 
the marble, which is here in profusion, suffers little from 
tlie operations of the atmosphere, and all that is not ex- 
posed to the sun and rain is quite perfect. It is, indeed, 
extremely probable that a transition so complete from a 
life of warfire to one of repose, may have had its effect 
upon my imagination; but wherever Providence may 
place me, memory will never cease to revert to the mag- 
nificent promenades and lordly palaces of Genoa. 

As it had happened in various parts of Spain, so it be- 
fel here, — the influx of troops became so great, that it 
was found necessary to scatter some of them among the 
villages and detached mansions that surrounded, to the 
distance of two or three miles, the city and its suburbs. 
Of the Foreign Hussars all had their station assigned to 
them in the hamlet of Marra : it was distant about a 
mile and a half from Genoa, and contained the residence 
of a venerable nobleman, the Count Bignioletti, who 
was the proprietor of the neighbouring district, and 
owned not only the villages, but the princely palace, 
which furnished the larger portion of us with a lodging. 
Close by the hamlet were the ruins of an old castle, 
which, in feudal times, had been the residence of the 
Count’s forefathers. This he did not inhabit, for it 
was a ruin ; but his more modern mansion was on a 
scale of great splendour, and no jnan supported the 
honour of a Count more graciously or more generously 
than he. 

It was the Count’s especial pleasure to treat us all, — 


284 


THE HUSSAR. 


not only the officers, — but tlie privates, with the most 
undeviating generosity. Our tables were supplied to 
profusion, and he appeared to embrace with avidity 
every opportunity that offered of discussing witli us the 
events of the late war, more especially such as we had 
ourselves witnessed. Neither was he backward in his 
turn to communicate information. He toM us that he 
had served in his youth as a captain of cavalry in the 
Austrian army ; that he had held diplomatic situations 
at the courts of Berlin, Stockholm, and Dresden ; that 
he had been present in Mantua when the French laid 
siege to it, and shared all the privations to which, ere it 
surrendered, both the garrison and the inhabitants sub- 
mitted ; but the topic which more than all others at 
once interested and excited 4iim, was the personal cha- 
racter of Napoleon Buonaparte. He hated the man 
with a bitterness of hatred which I have never seen 
equalled, and when he told his story, there were none 
among us who could experience surprise at the circum' 
stance, 

It was the policy of the French during their career 
of conquest to impress into their service the youth of 
all the states over which the skill of their leaders and 
the valour of their troops established a supremacy. 
Among other districts, that in which the Count’s es- 
tates lay became subject to the conscription, and his 
son, an only child, and the sole representative of a long 
line of ancestors, was drawn as a recruit. The father, 
willing to make any sacrifice rather than lose the socie- 
ty of his only son, made repeated applications to have 
the youth exempted, and went so fiir as to offer, on his 
bended knees, in Napoleon’s presence, that he would 
raise and equip, and mount at his own expense, a whole 
squadron of cavalry, provided his boy were restored to 
him. But Buontiparte remained inexorable. “ Your 
son has been drawn,” was his answer, “and he must go 
with me; but doij’t fret, old man. If he conducts him- 
self well, and shows that he possesses talents, I will make 


THE HUSSAR. 


285 


a general of him ; so go home and leave him and his 
fortunes to my keeping.” Tlie young man and liis for- 
tunes were left to the keeping of the Consul, and during 
the first action in which he was engaged he died by a 
musket-ball. 

The old man w'ept bitterly as he told us his tale. “ It 
was my only child,” continued he. “ He was dearer to 
me than the air that I breathed. The honours of fifty 
descents all met in him, yet the tyrant would not leave 
him to reap them. And now my title and my large 
possessions must all go to a distant relative, between 
whom and myself no intercourse has ever been main- 
tained, while the remains of my poor boy rest I know 
not where, unhonoured, undistinguished, unblessed, like 
those of the disbelieving miscreants with whom, during 
some months of his life, he was compelled to associate.” 

It was impossible not to feel for the old Count’s sor- 
rows ; and the unequivocal manner in which we mani- 
fested our pity so won his heart, that his kindness, which 
from the first had been far beyond our expectations, 
continued to increase from day to day. He was never 
so happy as when he could suggest some excursion or 
entertainment which bethought would give us pleasure; 
and so extensive was the range of his benevolence, that 
it embraced the private just as cordially as the officer. 

Among other things, he proposed one day that we 
should accompany him on a visit to a hermit, who dwelt 
in a wood about three miles removed from Marona, and 
Captain Jacks readily assenting, preparations were 
made to carry the project into effect on the following 
day. 

At the Count’s desire, about a dozen men, with the 
three serjeants and myself, were permitted to ride their 
chargers on this occasion. He himself travelled in an 
open calashe, drawn by four mules ; and as we surround, 
ed his carriage, he made himself more than usually hap- 
py by observing that the Emperor could not command 
a better escort. We proceeded in this order along the 


286 


THE HUSSAR. 


Mantua road for about a league, when we arrived at a 
hotel, of which the grounds were so beautiiul, that I 
must be permitted to give a brief description of them. 
The house itself stood in rear of a range of shrubberies 
and gardens, all of them laid out with the greatest taste ; 
but the most striking feature about the place was the 
grotto — a large rustic temple, through which a rivulet 
was conducted in six or eight different channels each 
of which broke over its own cascade with a delicious 
murmur. Of this grotto the floor was composed entire, 
ly of marble; there were, moreover, statues and pictures, 
here and there, of exquisite workmanship : Diana, for 
example, bathing in one fountain ; and the story of 
David and Bathsheba, told at length, beside another. 
Among the long natural grass that grew at the bottom 
of the stream, again, there were representations of fishes 
of all kinds and sizes, fabricated in marble — over which 
water nymphs appeared to be stooping, and of which it 
required more than a passing notice to ascertain that 
they were not alive, Nor was this the only object to 
which the Count drew our attention as especially deserv- 
ing of notice in these pleasure-grounds- Among the 
flowering shrubs, in a spot hard by, stood a block of 
marble, shaped in the exterior after the fashion of a 
pine-apple, which was of such dimensions, that, being 
hollowed out by the labour of the hand, it contained two 
windows, a door, a table, and six chairs, with room 
enough to admit six persons, without the slightest in- 
convenience. 

Having sufficiently gratified oui curiosity here, we 
remounted our horses, and w^ere conducted by our ven- 
erable guide about a mile further, where, in the centre 
of a wood, and far removed from all human habitations, 
was the hermitage, to which it was his principal pur- 
pose to introduce us. The hermitage itself consisted of 
a low domicile, built in the shape of a cross — very long, 
and very narrow in its dimensions, and only one story 
from the ground. It was covered with thatch ; and ag 


THE HUSSAR, 


257 


we entered by a door at the extremity of one of its 
flankS) there seemed to be no termination to the vista 
that opened upon us. Neither was there any aperture 
on either side of the passage through which the sun’s 
rays might gain admission ; indeed, all the light which 
we had came from a lamp that was suspended from the 
roof in the centre of the cross passage. Towards that 
we accordingly moved ; and the door, when we knocked, 
was opened without reserve, though we could not ob* 
serve the hand by which the latch was raised ; indeed 
it is evident that there must have been a cord or wire 
comniunicating between the cell and the entribce, simi- 
lar to that which is used in the offices of attorneys and 
elsewhere in this oiir huge city of London : therefore we 
advanced without hesitation in the direction of the light, 
on either side of which were two other doors, and from 
one of which there came forth a remarkable figure to 
welcome and conduct us to his habitation. 

The personage in question was a very old man, as I 
afterwards learned, between ninety and a hundred years 
of age. He wore a long loose robe, and a beard white 
as silver, that fell in a dense mass over his neck and 
chest, reaching to his girdle. His head, perfectly bald, 
was covered with a black velvet cap, and the skin of his 
face and hands was like ivory. He invited us to follow 
him, with great civility ; and, as we accepted the invi* 
tion, led us into what he called his study, a small room 
surrounded with books in all languages, and furnished 
with a deal table, and a couch and chairs of wicker 
work. All these, it seemed, were the fabrication of his 
own hands ; and he had, over and above, a sort of desk, 
on which lay a huge volume, in which it was his cus- 
tom to insert, not only the names of his visitors, but 
their occupations, countries, lineage, and, if possible, 
their personal adventures ; for the old man was full of 
curiosity ; and perceiving by our dress that we were sol- 
diers, he began immediately to ply us with questions re- 
lative to what we had seen and heard in the course of 


258 


THE HUSSAR. 


our service both in Italy and elsewhere. Having beefl 
cautioned by the Count to indulge him in all his whims, 
we were very communicative of warlike anecdotes ; and 
the lighting up of the hermit’s countenance, as well as 
the general suavity of his manner, showed that our can- 
dour had not failed to give him pleasure. 

Besides showing us his bed-room, — which, being fur- 
nished, like the study, by his own handy-work, could 
boast, among other articles, of a rustic couch, with a 
mattress stutfed with moss, and a silk coverlid, — the old 
man insisted on our examining his books, of which he 
possessed several, in almost all languages, from the He- 
brew to the Italian. It was one of his fancies to make 
his guests read aloud, from one or other of these, such 
passages as he chose to select ; and we, of course, liu- 
rnoured him in this respect also, as far as our ability 
extended. The consequence was, that, having won his 
heart altogether, he produced wine and relreshments of 
various sorts in abundance, of which we partook, very 
much to his satisfaction — though he confined himself 
to his usual diet, herbs and spring water. Finally, hav- 
ing dropped some coins into his poor-box, we w’ished 
him good day, and returned with our w'orthy host to 
Marona. 

Such was the manner in which some weeks were 
spent, undisturbed by hostile preparations, or, indeed, by 
any unpleasant feelings, except those which the pros- 
pect of a speedy breaking up in our society might have 
created ; for rumours of an immediate reduction of the 
Foreign Hussars soon began to thicken upon us, and 
no great while elapsed ere these took a distinct and 
definite form. Captain Jacks, indeed, our excellent 
commandant, seemed to have been for some time aware 
of what would happen, when he took me apart one day, 
and told me to prepare the men’s minds, so that they 
might not be taken by surprise ; and I so far acted upon 
his hint as to assure them, in stables and elsewhere, 
that the first regimejit doomed to dissolution was our 


THE HDSSAR. 


289 


ftwn. Still, when the order came, as i\, lid come soon 
afterwards, to deliver up our arms, accou'a-ements, and 
baggage, there was much lamentation in the squadron ; 
for we had lived happily together for three years, and 
no prospect of a return to' their homes could cornpen- 
sate with very many for the loss of their comrades* society. 

As soon as it was fixed tliat the flussars should be 
disbanded, we all began, as was natural, to look into 
the future, and to speculate, some, on taking service in 
the Austrian or Prussian armies, which were near ; 
others, of making their way through Italy into Ger- 
many, and revisiting the homes of their fathers. For 
my own part, I received directions to take charge of the 
horses — and, with an escort of a dozen men, to tran- 
sport them to Sicily, where, I was given to understand 
that they would be sold by auction^ and I and my com- 
panions finally disposed of Meanwhile, the rest, includ- 
ing my dear friend Ilettendorff, had all their audits 
made up, and received, in addition to the last farthing 
due to them, a month’s pay in advance; after which 
their discharges, duly printed and signed, were deliver- 
ed to them, and they were informed that they were 
their own masters. I am not able to say how it fared 
with the rest after the dorps was dissolved. One mel- 
ancholy dinner we ate together, and on the morrow 
some went one way, and some another ; but Hettendorflf 
lingered with me about a week, at the conclusion of 
which he, too, departed for Germany. Poor fellow ! 1 
cannot tell whether he ever reached it : I received from 
him but one letter, which was dated Mantua, and in- 
formed me that the Austrian military authorities had- 
cast him into prison ; that they refused to recognise his 
discharge as a passport, and gave him the option of en- 
listing in their service, or being slowly starved to death. 
He prefered, of course, a life of bondage, to a death so 
lingering, and enlisted. But what became of him after- 
wards I never heard, nor can I tell whether, at this time, 
he is, or is not, in the land of the living. 

VoL. I. — Z 


290 


THE HUSSAK. 


h 

CHAPTER XXVIL 

I RETURN TO SICILY, AND AT PALERMO, AND ITS VICINITY^ 
SEE MUCH TO EXCITE MY CURIOSITY. 

1 REMAINED in Grcnoa after the breaking up of the For- 
eign Hussars some time, waiting for a ship to convey 
me and my horses to Sicily. My duties all the while 
were simple enough : I had but to see that the men fed^ 
and watered, and exercised the animals regularly, and 
that no injustice was done to the forage which the com- 
missary served out. For this both I and the people un- 
der me continued to draw full pay ; which, being added 
to the allowances which soldiers receive on service, sup- 
ported us very comfortably. But the transports arrived 
at last, and, having bid farewell to the good old Count, 
I went on board. We crossed with a light and plea- 
sant breeze, and. I took up my quarters in the city of 
Palermo, the capital of the island. 

' My party, together with a detachment from the 20th 
Light Dragoons, were stationed in a large Locanda, 
very commodiously fitted up as a cavalry barrack, with 
stabling for the horses on the ground-floor, and apart- 
ments for the men above them. Everything had been 
done likewise to render the place cool and healthy, for 
there were numerous thorough draughts ; yet the heat 
was intense. The season of the year, indeed, was much 
against us, and the vapours that arose from so many 
animals, divided from us only by an imceiled floor, 
proved altogether overpowering. The consequence 
was, that first one man, and then another, fell sick, till 
there arose among us a sort of plague, of which the 
effects were terrible. He who began to complain in the 
morning, would be removed to the hospital about noon, 
and ere sunset the following day he was a corpse ; for 
the progress of the malady was very rapid, and of all 


THE HUSSAR. 


291 


that happened to be attacked, there were few indeed 
that recovered. 

As long as the horses continued in my charge it 
was impossible for me to change my quarters, however 
startled I might be by the occurence of such frequent 
mortality around me. They were, however, sold at last ; 
and then, after a fruitless experiment of about a week’s 
duration, of which it was the object to ascertain whether 
the malaria might not be removed, I was glad to escape 
from what still continued to be little better than a lazar- 
house. I accordingly removed to the house of a good 
old priest, who furnished me with a commodious apart 
ment, and treated me altogether with great kindness. 
Indeed the order of my existence, so long as I remain- 
ed in Palermo, continued to be from this time forth that 
of a mere citizen of the world. Though full pay was 
still issued to me, I had ceased in point of fact to be a 
soldier. I had no men to command, no horse to take 
care ofl no arms nor accoutrements to keep in order ; 
so, being cast loose from restraint of every kind, I laid 
aside even my Hussar uniform, and lived like a civilian. 
And an exceedingly agreeable sort of life I led, with a 
few of the incidents that gave a character to which it 
may not be amiss if I make the reader acquainted. 

The Lady Patroness of Sicily is Saint Rosalia, con . 
cerning one of whose votaries in another country I had 
occasion, some time ago, to say a few words. How 
she obtained her honourable station in the calender my 
host informed me ; and I tell the tale al, he told it to me, 
without vouching eitlier for its accuracy as a legend, or 
the correspondence of my version with the versions of 
other writers. According to the Padre, Santa Rosalia was 
a lady of rank and fortune; if I recollect right, a prin- 
cess, who dwelt near Jerusalem during the days of the 
Apostles, and was converted by them on the day of Rente- 
cost. She lived in great splendour, and exercised much 
hospitality towards the believers, till the persecution con- 
sequent on the martyrdom of Stephen arose-— when shs 


292 


THE HUSSAR. 


was compelled to flee, attended by a single maid, and to 
seek an asylum in a country whither the authority of 
the High Priest could not extend. As Providence would 
have it, the ship in which she embarked was bound for 
Sicily, and carried her safely to Palermo, in the vicinity 
of which she lived a life of seclusion during many years. 
Santa Rosalia was no nun, neither was her attendant ; 
but they kept up very little intercourse with the world, 
dividing their time, both by day and night, between the 
practice of devotion and the exercise of charity. 

Santa Rosalia died at last, without having attracted 
any .great share of public attention, and was buried; 
but her merits had not been wasted. There occurred, 
some years afterwards, a grievous sickness in Sicily, 
which cut down the population by hundreds, and which 
all the efforts of the physicians proved inadequate to 
arrest, The whole island, indeed, was in mourning ; 
when, one day, a devout monk, walking out of Palermo 
into the country, was met, near the cell which Santa 
Rosalia used to inhabit, by a being manifestly not of 
earthly mould. There was a glory round the head of 
the stranger, whose robes were white and shining; 
while from her eyes a lustre beamed so pure and pierc- 
ing, that tlie monk could scarce venture to look upon it. 

“ I am Santa Rosalia,” said the vision, in a voice 
whose tones were music. “ I hold a high place in the 
family of the Blessed Virgin. She has sent me to say 
that, provided you will raise my bones, and carry them 
in solemn procession through Palermo, the plague will 
cease.” 

The monk, bowing low, returned in all haste to the 
city, and communicated the substance of what had be- 
fallen. The bones of the Saint were exhumed ; priests 
and magistrates bore them through the streets with 
lighted eandles and bands of music; and that very day 
there came a change of wind, which wafted infection 
from the shores. I may add that, in honour of the 
good Saint, a convent was forthwith built over the spot 


THE HUSSAR. 


293 


from which her body was taken ; and that the precious 
relics, being there deposited, are still shown to the pious 
and the liberal, greatly to the edification, as well as to the 
financial benefit of the society. 

There are many festivals in Palermo in honour of 
departed worthies, but in point of magnificence that of 
Santa Rosalia far surpasses them all. It occurs on the 
anniversary of the miracle, which her bones are said to 
have performed, and is kept with processions, and feast- 
ings, and fire-works, and all sorts of public shows, at 
which the King and his court, equally with the people, 
attend. For some weeks previous to the arrival of the 
great day, all Palermo is in commotion. Frame- works 
of timber are fabricated, which the carpenters arrange 
along the Marino, whence the fire-works may be 
shown, and an enormous car is made, which, being co- 
vered over with silken hangings, supports upon poles a 
lofty stage, and is surmounted by an image of the Saint, 
half-hidden in a mass of silken clouds. The car itself 
is supported upon low truck- wheels ; but on its sides 
there are four other wheels of a wider span, which ne- 
ver touch the ground, but are turned round and round 
by a winch, which some of the persons whom the hang- 
ings conceal set in motion. At an early hour of the 
morning of St. Rosalia’s Day, as soon, indeed, as it is 
light, the car is discovered on the Marino. On the 
stage, and surrounding the image of the Saint, are 
groups of women, dressed in showy robes, and covered 
with flowers ; while tied to the four large wheels are lit- 
tle children, whom the silks and feathery wings, fasten- 
ed to their shoulders, cause to represent angels. Then 
there is a sounding of trumpets, and ringing of bells, 
which, together with a volley of patteraroes, warn the 
surrounding country that the Saint has appeared among 
men. 

No sooner is this clamour heard than from far and 
near country people are seen driving their bullocks to- 
wards the city, which they yoke in a long string to the 
Z 2 


294 


THE HUSSAR. 


car. The farmer, indeed, who sliould refuse to lend hia 
cattle for this purpose, could not hope to prosper at the 
coming vintage, and happy is he wlio, arriving first at 
the Marino, succeeds in placing his bullocks next the 
car. Then is the machine set in motion, while from 
windows and balconies hats and handkerchiefs wave, 
and the air is rent with the tumult of voices, the braying 
of trumpets, and tlie roar of artillery. 'I’hus slowly 
and with frequent halts, the Saint is conveyed, through 
the main street towards the farther gate-way; while 
as it moves the large wheels are turned slowly round, 
and the poor little angels go up and down, till they are 
as effectually delivered from the weight of their morn- 
ing’s meal as if tliey were at sea in a gale of wind.— 
It is surprising the degree of excitement which the pro- 
cession seemed to create throughout the city — and the 
quantities of wine, fruit, sweetmeats, and other viands 
consumed is enormous. 

Thus it is during the day, and when darkness sets in, 
a new and still more brilliant scene is presented. The 
long line of frame-work of which I have spoken as 
drawn through the Marino is now surrounded by fire- 
works, to witness which, tlie whole population of the 
city is astir. The Marino, I need scarcely observe, Ls 
abroad open space that intervenes between a row of no- 
ble houses and the sea. It is the mall of Palermo, on 
common occasions, where ladies in their carriages and 
cavaliers on horseback are accustomed to take exercise ; 
and there is about the centre of it a small marble pa- 
villion, within which the King and his family are in 
the habit of looking out upon the festivities, ^’o-night 
neither carriages nor horses are permitted to interfere 
with the pedestrians, who, in dense crowds, but in per- 
fect order, occupy the parade ; while the surface of the 
bay is covered with boats, each carrying its load of hap- 
py spectators ; and it is but fair to add, that the specta- 
cle is altogether magnificent. The fire works them- 
selves are exceedingly brilliant, and the effect of the 


THE HUSSAR. 


295 


light upon the dark-blue waters, upon the multitudes of 
people, upon the buildings and vessels, is such as I have 
no language to describe. 

Such is the feast of Santa Rosalia, which the good 
people of Palermo celebrate with great delight, and of 
which the festivities come not to a close till three or four 
o’clock on the succeeding morning. I need not add 
that in all the throng which moved that day from street 
to street, there was no spectator more highly amused 
than myself. Indeed I had nothing else to do than to 
seek amusement when I could, both in town and coun- 
try, and the opportunity was too valuable by far for me 
to waste it. 

About two miles from Palermo, on the road to the 
interior, stands a convent of Capuchins, which, having 
heard a good deal of its splendour and of the customs 
of its inmates in reference to their dead, I resolved to 
visit. I was accompanied in this excursion by three 
friends, non-commissioned officers belonging to the 20th 
Dragoons, and one of the regiments pf infantry, with 
whom, as soldiers are not unapt to do, when setting 
forth on a pleasurable expedition, I drank rather more 
wine than I ought to have done. Wc were not, how- 
ever, in the slightest degree intoxicated, — indeed I re- 
peat once for all, that drunkenness never had the slightest 
charm for me, even in my most thoughtless years ; — 
but we had taken enough to place all things within us 
and around us in the brightest light, and to render us 
freer both of speech and action than we might have 
been, had we more spared the wine cup. In this merry 
mood we hastened to the monastery, the brethren of 
which were particularly kind and civil ; conducting us 
first through the chapel and other public rooms above 
ground, and then leading the way into the crypt beneath. 
Here the only light afforded came from a couple oftorches, 
which two of the monks carried before us, and by the 
glare of which we perceived that the walls of the crypt 
were on all sides indented by niches, which being in 


296 


THE HUSSAR. 


three tiers, contained each within its recess the body of 
a dead man. I say the body, for these were not mere 
skeletons. Flesh indeed there was none, but the skin 
was there, drawn slightly over the bones ; — and the hair 
and the beard — the latter of which flowed in many in- 
stances as low as the breast. Moreover, every corpse 
was dressed in the sort of garments which the man used 
to wear when he lived. Warriors there were and gen- 
erals ; senators, priests, and private gentlemen ; some 
in their uniforms, some in their robes, some in their 
canonicals We were assured likewise by our guides 
that several had stood as we beheld them for three cen- 
turies. The garments did indeed fall to pieces, and were 
from time to time replaced ; but the bodies were just as 
they had been when first planted in these niches. More- 
over, on the breast of each was a plate attached to a 
chain that went round his neck ; — the great men hav- 
ing theirs of silver, the less dignified being labelled with 
brass ; while each bore an inscription illustrative of the 
career and services of the individual thus honoured in 
his death. Of course we were very curious to learn by 
what process the bodies could be prepared, so as to 
hinder time and an exposure to the atmosphere from 
decomposing them ; and the monks, seeing that there 
were no women in our company, undertook to explain 
to us the whole matter. 

As we passed along the crypt towards the further ex- 
tremity, where the torch-bearer stated that our sources 
of information lay, I experienced, I know not why, a 
strong inclination to pull one of the great warriors by 
the beard. I did so, and behold, a large portion of the 
hair, with a lump of skin, remained in my hand. There 
was a loud cry, of course, and a volley of reproaches, 
which however I found it easy to silence by putting my 
hand into my pocket and pulling out two silver coins oi 
the value of twenty pence. “ Buy some sticking-plaster 
with that,” said I,“ and put on the beard again. No- 
body will find it out.” The monk smiled, took the mo- 


THE HUSSAR. 


297 


ney, and passed me. But the spirit of mischief was 
in me. I seized a senator’s hand and began to shake 
it ; and lo, it too remained in my grasp. It separated 
from the wrist as if it had been made of sand. Tliere 
was a louder cry than before, and more scolding, which 
a similar method of reply put to silence. I gave the 
monk a Spanish dollar, and he made light of the coun- 
sellor’s misfortune. Indeed it appeared to me that his 
civility and that of his brethren was increased ; at all 
events we lost no ground in their esteem, that is certain. 

Accordingly they led us on to a door in the distant 
wall, which they opened, and we found ourselves in a 
small apartment, within which two persons were in the 
act of preparing a body for removal into the cemetery. 

Their mode of doing so was this : they cut the body 
open in the back, took out all the entrails, and kept the 
wound open by means of sticks, exactly as a butcher 
keeps open the carcases of his sheep and calves ; they then 
made numerous incisions into the fleshy parts of the 
legs, thighs and arms. And having thus treated the 
corpse, they laid him face upwards, upon a sort of iron 
ladder, beneath which burned a slow fire of herbs, which 
they took care to keep always at the same degree of 
temperature. The fire whs just hot enough to melt the 
fat, and shrivel up and wear away the loose flesh, with- 
out cracking the skin or scorching the bones ; and there 
was a dish, like a dripping pan, which caught the gravy 
and conveyed it beyond the furnace. After melting the 
corpse in this manner till the skin had every where col- 
lapsed upon the bones, they thrust an iron spike through 
the cavity into the head, and sewed up the wound again ; 
then putting on his garments, they fastened under them a 
broad iron ring round the waist, which having a hook 
that caught in another ring that was driven into the 
wall, gave the body, when placed in the niche, its up- 
right attitude. 

We stayed here till all was explained to us, when we 
again followed our conductors up stairs, who led us into 
the pleasure gardens belonging to the monastery and in- 


298 


THE HUSSAR. 

trod need us to the superior. Being here, we were in- 
vited to sit down beside a table that was spread under 
a tree and hospitably regaled with wine and fruit, and 
other light refections. Finally, having given some 
fresh donations to the brotherhood, we took our leave 
and returned to Palermo, both delighted and instructed 
by the occurrences of the day. 

The monastery oTthe Capuchins became from hence- 
forth a favourite place of resort with me. I made up 
various parties to visit it, and always received at the 
hands of the inmates the same sort of liberal treatment 
which had at first been awarded me. It appeared how- 
ever, that the hearts of monks, even though they may 
be covered by serge garments, are not, more than the 
hearts of other men, proof against the force of female 
charms. We took with us, on a certain occasion, seve- 
ral women, one of whom, the wife of a serjeant-rnajor, 
was a very pretty creature, our guide through the crypt 
exhibited such manifest tokens of admiration that there 
was no resisting it. He w’ould explain nothing except 
to her; and the good woman’s embarrassment and un- 
disguised indignation presented such a contrast to the 
loving monk’s gallantry, that to refrain from laughter, 
long and loud, and often repeated, was impossible. It 
is just to add, however, that he made no progress with 
his suit; our excellent matron would not so much as 
permit him to take her by the hand; and once when he 
offered a salute, gave him such a slap on the cheek, that 
the old vault echoed again ; I thought the very dead men 
would have joined in the shout which the catastrophe 
called forth. 

Such was the order of my existence in Sicily from 
the month of September, 18 14, when I returned to it, up 
to Christmas eve. 

It was a period in my life on which I shall always 
look back w ith pleasure ; and of which, though the oc- 
count may appear to my readers to be devoid of interest, I 
cannot now think without regret that it will never come 
again, • 


fHE hussar. 


299 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

1 TAKE MY departure FOR ENGLAND, AND TOUCH AT 
SARDINIA. 

It was on Christmas eve, 1814, at a moment when I 
least expected it, and still less desired its arrival, that I 
received an order to embark on board of a transport, and 
proceed without delay to England. I could not, of course, 
refuse compliance with this order ; so, bidding a hasty 
adieu to the friends, w'ith whom I had been engaged to 
spend the morrow, I had my baggage carried to the ves- 
sel, and followed myself soon afterwards. 

I must acknowledge that I took possession of my 
berth in no very agreeable frame of mind, and, as if fate 
had determined to try my patience to the uttermost, we 
were scareely beyond the harbour’s mouth when a fur- 
ious storm arose, that scattered the squadron towards 
every point of the compass. For ourselves, w'e beat 
about some time, and then in company with the com- 
modore, and some others, put back. We lay at anchor 
after liiis, the sea rolling and foaming like an enchant- 
ed cauldron, till the fury of the gale was supposed to 
have abated, when we again hoisted our canvass. But 
our fortune this trip was even more unsatisfactory than 
it had previously been. Once more tlie gale freshened, 
and the commodore with the rest of our consorts were 
driven we knew not where, for we never saw them af- 
terwards. 

Our captain was an excellent seaman, and one of 
those straight-forward English characters that are not 
to be deterred from fulfilling a moral obligation by tri- 
vial obstacles. He would not therefore put back to Pa- 
lermo, because he happened to be alone, and there was 
a risk of falling in with some hostile cruiser ; but trust- 
ing partly to the chapter of accidents, partly to his own 


300 


THE HUSSAR. 


skill, and to the support of the troops which he carried^ 
he determined to hold liis course. As soon therefore as 
the gale abated, he turned his ship’s head towards 
England, and sometimes beating, sometimes making 
way under easy sail, we crept continually onwards. 

But we had not gone far ere two suspicious craft 
showed themselves, whicli refusing to answer the private 
signal, warned us to shift for ourselves. Without a 
moment’s delay our course was changed ; we put 
about for the island of Sardinia, which was not far 
distant, and clapping on every stitch of canvass that 
our masts and yards would carry, strove to leave our 
pursuers behind us. It soon appeared, however, that 
as far as sailing was concerned, we were no match for 
them. They gained on us rapidly, and just as the 
headlands of the bay appeared, at the extremity of 
which stands the city of Cagliari, the American ensigns 
floating at their gaffs showed that we had narrowly 
escaped being made prisoners. ' 

While I express myself thus, it must not be supposed 
that we had made no preparations for a stout resistance. 
The guns, on the contrary, were all loaded, and the 
troops, supplied with firelocks and plenty of ammunition, 
lay behind the bulwarks. We were therefore quite 
ready, and willing to give them a warm reception ; but 
the odds were so much against us that the most pugna- 
cious could not but rejoice when we found ourselves 
snugly moored under the guns of the Sardinian bat- 
teries. The enemy, likewise appeared to have his own 
feelings at the good luck which attended our flight, for 
he kept cruising backwards and forwards at the very 
mouth of the bay for several days after we gained it. 
It was therefore pronounced not only prudent but neces-, 
sary to remain at our anchorage, so long as the high 
seas continued to be thus infested ; and the British 
Consul, who had his residence in Cagliari, did his b^st 
to render our sojourn agreeable. ! 

We were supplied by the town with abundande^of 


THE HUSSAR. 


301 


fresh provisions, as well as with fruit, wine, and other* 
articles, of which we stood in need, while ready per- 
mission was given to such as desired it to land, and 
spend their time on shore. Being of a somewhat in- 
quisitive disposition, I did not fail to take advantage of 
the order thus issued, and though every species of pur- 
chasable commodity was sold at the dearest rate — ■ 
though we paid for indifferent wine about five shillings 
a bottle, and for food and lodging in the same propor- 
tion, I cannot say that I have ever regretted having 
spent one day in the capital of Sardinia. My reader 
shall learn why. 

Cagliari is a poor, mean, filthy place, with narrow 
and unpaved streets ; dingy houses, miserable shops, 
and a population of which it would be too much to say 
that they are even commonly civilized. But the day 
which I spent among them happening to be some gala, 
I had eui opportunity of witnessing one of their favou- 
rite public amusements, with which when I shall have 
described it, nobody will wonder that I was diverted. — 
The amusement in question was a horse-race — kind 
of sport in which the Sardinians take great delight ; but 
which, at the period of my visit to their shores, bore 
Uo resemblance whatever to a match at Doncaster or 
Newmarket. In the first place, the race-course at 
Cagliari is the principal street of the city, wliich 
measures perhaps a quarter of a mile in length, and, at 
the utmost, twenty feet from house-door to house-door. 
In the next place, the horses are so bedizened with 
ribands, silk clothing, feathers, and I know not how 
many ornaments besides, that I defy you to tell, when 
they are brought to the starting-post, to what genus of 
animalf they belong ; and lastly, there are no jockeys. 

The horses literally shift for themselves ; they are 
called together to the number of five or six at one end 
of the street, and confined within bars — bare-backed, 
except as far as their housings are concerned, and un- 
cro.ssed ; — where they are laughed and shouted at, and 

VoL. 1. — A a 


S02 


THE HUSSAR* 


put into such a state of fury that when the gun fires^ 
and the bar is removed, they all rush full tilt towards 
the opposite end of the way. Meanwhile, the windows 
and balconies and roofs on either side being thronged 
with people, these all shout and clap their hands as the 
horses pass ; while here and there stands a man with a 
long whip, the crack of which keeps the poor brutes in 
the state of excitement under which they have original- 
ly quitted the starting-post. In this manner they dash 
on, and the riderless steed which first reaches a parti- 
cular point is, by the lowering of a flag, pronounced the 
victor. The sole part of the re.semblance, indeed, that 
I could trace between the Sardinian lovers of the turf^ 
and those which are reared in England, lay in this — 
that both parties make their horses run over the 
course thrice ere they give the owners the promised 
prize. 

Having lain in the gulf of Cagliari till the consul 
announced to us that the American privateers had quit- 
ted the station, we once more put to sea ; but had not 
long lost sight of the _ most conspicuous of the pro- 
montories, w’hen our old friends made their appearance, 
bearing in such a direction as to cut us off effectually 
from the anchorage which we had just quitted. 

To run a race with them would have been to the 
full as rash as to heave-to and risk an action. Our 
captain put about, and steered straight for another port, 
where he knew there was a battery. If my memory 
serve me aright, the sort of cove or bay into which, on 
this occasion he carried us, was called Pollen Bay. It 
was Well sheltered from the weather, could boast of an 
excellent bottom for the purposes of anchorage, and was 
commanded wdthin a short range by six heavy pieces, 
that crowned a battery on the rise of the beach. Close 
to the latter we took up our station, w'hile, the better to 
provide against surprise, our people lay upon the deck, 
both by day and night, fully armed, and kept lighted 
matches beside their guns. And well it was for us 


THE HUSSAR. 


303 


that these precautions had been taken ; for the same 
nig^ht, soon after twelve o’clock, an alarm arose, and 
half a dozen boats, crowded with men, were seen pull, 
ing- towards us. In an instant our ship opened its fire. 
The battery on shore followed the example ; and the 
enemy, perceiving that they could not accomplish their 
object by surprise, drew back, and left us to ourselves. 

During many days after the failure of this attack 
the Americans continued to blockade us ; insomuch 
that our stock of fresh provisions wore out, and our 
very fuel was exhausted. Under these circumstances, 
it w’as determined to send a wooding and watering party 
on shore ; and, as the island was said to abound with 
game, Major O’Brien a kind, warm-hearted Irish officer, 
who commanded, resolved to carry some trusty hands 
along with him, and to shoot for the benefit of the ship’s 
company. I have always had the good luck to stand 
well with my military superiors, and on the present 
occasion fortune had not played me false. I was 
therefore among the number of those of whom the 
Major made choice to be his companions on this occa- 
sion. VVe could not all muster fowling-pieces ; indeed 
I do not recollect that any, except the major, the mate 
of the vessel, and another officer, could boast of such 
weapons ; but there were muskets in abundance at our 
control, and these we did not scruple to bring into play. 
We sat out from the ship, therefore, one morning about 
nine o’clock, a well-armed party of seven, in addition to 
the more numerous band, whose business it was to fell 
timber, and convey it to the transport. 

Two boat-loads of people landed that day, and the 
directions given the wood-cutters amounted to this — 
that they should go on with their work, and transport 
as much fuel as possible to the ship, without paying 
regard to us ; and that after sunset we should join them. 
Accordingly we parted on the beach ; and leaving the 
rest to hew and carry, we, seven in number, .struck off 
for the mountains, which pushed their roots almost to 


304 


THE HUSSAR. 


the water’s edge, and were said to abound in game.-— 
We had .not proceeded far ere we ascertained that the 
character given to the district was well merited. Hares, 
partridges, and rabbits were here in abundance ; so that 
long before noon we had slaughtered as many as one 
man could carry. We accordingly sent back the mate 
loaded with spoil, while the rest of us, in order to vary 
the scene, quitted the hills, and went down into the level 
country, which appeared both extensive and fruitful. — 
Not very far from us we observed some detached farm- 
houses, with the spires of a town in the distant back- 
ground , and being willing to spend a portion of the 
day within the haunts of civilized man, we directed our 
steps towards the first as a sortof halting-place in our 
progress to the last. 

We reached the place without any accident, and had 
not proceeded far when we found ourselves approach- 
ing a numerous flock of sheep, which seemed to bo 
under the guidance of a solitary shepherd. The shep- 
herd, — an old man, with a venerable white beard, was 
clothed in breeches made of untanned sheep-skin, and 
a sort of mantle of coarse cloth. He had a sash round 
his waist, into which were stuck a knife and a brace of 
pistols, while a long duck. gun was suspended by a 
string at his back, and in his hand he bore an enormous 
crook. He stared at us as we drew towards him, with 
an expression of mingled alarm and hostility in his 
countenance, which partly, amused, and partly sur- 
prised us. It was clear indeed that he took us for 
brigands, and as we cast our eyes carelessly about he 
stood to watch his flock, like one who expects every 
moment to see a portion of it driven off. We did our 
best to convince him that from us he had nothing to 
dread, and by degrees we succeeded. We questioned 
him about the farm-houses and the town, and he answer- 
ed us guardedly, taking the first opportunity which a 
pause in our inquiries offered to become himself thq. 
catechiser. 


THE HUSSAR. 


305 


“ What countrymen were we — Wliat was our busi- 
ness here — What did we want in the town ?” We told 
him that we were Englishmen, and that our main pur- 
pose was to procure, if possible, a' supply of fresh meat 
for our companions, whom we had left on board ship. 
“ Englishmen!” exclaimed the shepherd ; “oh, then, ye 
are heretics ! — and if you take my advice, you will not 
venture nearer to the town than you are at this mo- 
ment ; for the authorities are required by the charter 
under which they exercise their power to hang up, 
without the mockery of a trial, every heretic that enters 
the place. The gallows is always kept ready ; and no 
great while has elapsed since it was used.” 

We laughed at this story, of course; but the old man 
persisted in it ; and his manner was so grave, and his 
asseverations so solemn, that we judged it prudent not 
to put in our own persons, the truth of his story to the 
test. As we were really in want of some luxuries, how'- 
ever, we resolved to make to the farm houses, and to pur- 
chase, at their own price, such articles of food as the own- 
ers might be disposed to sell. But here again the semi- 
barbarous condition of the people had well nigh thwart- 
ed our intentions. As we drew towards the Estantias, 
we saw the inmates come forth to look at us — now one, 
now two, and then three together, and then all in a 
body , after which a bell began to ring, and the women 
and children fled for the mountains. It was to no pur- 
pose that we shouted to them to return, or that Major 
O’Brien leaving his fowling-piece with us, strove to 
overtake them ; they scarcely looked behind ; and we had 
the mortification to perceive that instead of being en- 
tertained as friends, we were shunned as a body of 
marauders. 

We pushed on notwithstanding, and^found, on enter- 
ing the premises, that poultry of all [descriptions was 
tliere in abundance, and that there were other symp- 
toms about the premises of the comfortable condition of 
the owners. We therefore made up our minds, let the 
Aa2 


306 


THE HUSSAR. 


consequences be what they might not to return empty- 
handed ; but in case no one should appear with whom 
to strike a bargain, to take what we chiefly coveted, 
and leave a sum of money behind us. It was well, 
perhaps, that we were not reduced to this extremity, for 
the Sardinian peasants are an uncivilized and vindictive 
race, and had they entertained the notion that we were 
plunderers, it is not impossible that they might have 
made us pay dear for it. We were therefore exceedi 
ingly pleased when, having passed the threshold of one 
cf the houses, we found ourselves in a strange sort of 
room ; in the centre of which were a couple of grind- 
ing-stones, with two asses busily engaged in turning 
them. To keep the animals in motion, there sat in one 
corner an old man armed with a long whip, which he 
flourished about hitting the donkeys with great accu- 
racy, not only when they chanced*to be near, but when 
they were at the farthest distance from him. But the 
apparition of our appearance had upon the ancient 
donkey driver precisely the same effect which it seem- 
ed to have had upon the shepherd. He exhibited strong 
symptoms of alarm, and droppitig his whip, began with 
uplifted hands to pray to some Saint for protection, and 
to us for mercy. 

The asses, delivered from the constant application of 
the lash, stood still, while we hastened to assure the 
venerable driver that we came with no hostile inten- 
tion. Handfuls of dollars were shown to him ; and it 
was explained, partly by signs, partly by the use of 
such phrases as seemed intelligible on both sides, that 
we desired only to barter with him for such articles of 
produce as it might be agreeable or convenient for him- 
self to dispose of. Al last though not till after repeated 
efforts, we succeeded in restoring his confidence ; on the 
return of which he pulled a bell the handle of which 
was near him, and immediately there came in to us an 
old woman whom we conjectured to be his wife. She, 
too, began with ejaculations of terror and surprise, but 


THE HUSSAR. 


307 


the padre quickly silenced her; and having received his 
orders, she withdrew abruptly, leaving us to conjecture 
what we chose. 

Only a minute or two elapsed ere the dame came 
back, accompanied on this occasion by a young man, 
who was shortly afterwards joined by another, and 
another, till in the end about a dozen men, women, and 
children, were gathered around us. Among these there 
were five or six stout follows, each of whom wore in 
his belt a dagger or a brace of pistols ; and though we 
were armed with guns, I am not ashamed to confess 
that I watched both their movements and expressions 
with some anxiety. 

But the patriarch, who spoke to them as they entered, 
was true to his pledge, and they exhibited no inclination 
to quarrel or deal treacherously with us. On the con- 
trary, eggs and bacon were found ; cheese and wine, 
and excellent bread produced ; and the donkeys being 
driven off, we made a hearty meal out of wooden 
trenchers, with which they supplied us. Then follow- 
ed a scene of trafficking for poultry and eggs, both of 
. which they gave in abundance, and on very moderate 
terms ; and to conclude all, they pledged us heartily in 
a bottle of as richly-flavoured wine as I have anywhere 
tasted in the vicinity of the Mediterranean. 

We now rose to bid our host farewell, who would 
not however permit us to go till he, like the shepherd, 
had asked the important questions, whether we were 
Christians, and of what country we were natives. He 
was assured that we were Christians, and he smiled ; 
but when it was added that we were Englishmen, his 
countenance became immediately ovei clouded. 

A fearful calamity had befallen him. He had enter- 
tained a body of heretics. His very house was polluted, 
and he could not expect a blessing on his labours till the 
priest should come and sprinkle it with holy water. — 
Vainly we strove to laugh the old man out of his su- 
perstition. He was affected even to tears, and tliougli 


308 


THE HUSSAR. 


neither he nor his people offered tons the slightest per- 
sonal insult, it was evident enough from their manner 
that our prolonged presence among tliem would not be 
agreeable. We therefore gathered up our stores and 
wishing our acquaintances God-speed, a benediction 
which they did not return, we directed our steps to- 
wards the beach. 

Our story was listened to by those on board with a 
mixture of incredulity and astonishment, yet there were 
some among the sailors who said that we were fortu- 
nate in escaping as we did. The peasant population of 
Sardinia they described as exceedingly fierce and inhos- 
pitable, and as to the story about hanging heretics, they 
averred to their own knowledge that it was true. On 
the whole, therefore, we were well pleased that we had 
not neglected the shepherd’s warning, and we prudently 
made up our minds not to venture in future far from 
the shore. Neither indeed was much opportunity of 
disregarding this resolution afforded. The American 
privateers, finding that we would not quit our anchor- 
age, put to sea, and we having delayed a sufficient time 
to assure ourselves of the reality of their departure, 
followed their example and renewed our voyage. 


THE HUSSAP. 


309 


CHAPTER XXIX. . 

I VISIT GIBRALTER. 

Once more there was around us the wide ocean, and 
over-head the boundless expanse of the sky, and once 
more our patience was tried by a continuance of baffling 
winds, wliich hindered us, after the first twelve hours, 
from making any perceptible progress. So steadily in- 
deed did the breezes blow in our teeth, that after passing 
a tall rock on one Sunday, and beating about till the 
Sunday following, we found ourselves at the dawn of 
day about one hundred yards in advance of the point, 
whence, just a week before, we had set out. This was 
very miserable work ; and our recent alarms from the 
Americans operating to increase the irksomeness of the 
case, our Captain was prevailed upon to bear up and 
make for Elba. 1 need scarcely observe that the chance 
of seeing Napoleon, who was at that time a prisoner at 
large on the island, added not a little to the desire 
which, on other grounds, was experienced to steer in 
this direction ; and well pleased we were when the 
Captain, adopting our hint, altered his course, and with 
a leading breeze made for Porto Ferrajo. 

This is a life of continual disappointments, insomuch, 
that the instances are rare in which misfortunes them- 
selves no sooner begin to lose their bitterness, than they 
cease to act upon the persons who were at one time 
their victims. The foul wind of which we had so long 
complained, and to which we were just reconciled be- 
cause it promised to carry us to Elba, ceased within a 
day from the alteration in our course, and no entreaties 
could prevail upon the Captain to enter the harbour, 
which was in sight. He said, and said fairly, that 
however agreeable it might have been to visit the resi- 
dence of the dethroned Emperor, he could not answer 


310 


THE HUSSAR. 


either to his own conscience, or to his employers, were 
he to lose a fair wind ; and when a man reasons from 
the high ground of principle, his argument will not bear 
contradiction. We were therefore forced to allow that 
he was in the right, and with our telescopes to sweep 
the shores on which, a few hours prev^ovsly, we had 
hoped to tread. Neither did there occur between the 
date of this disappointment and our arrival at Gibraltar 
any event of which it is worth while to take notice. 
The weather was inoderate, the breeze in one quarter, 
and our ship quiet; so we moved on almost unconscious 
of the progress which w'C were making, till the rock, 
with its noble and stupendous fortifications, uprose in 
our front, 





THE HUSSAR, 




CHAPTER XXX. 

1 SEE SOME CHANGES OP FORTUNE, AND SETTLE AT LAST, 
WHERE 1 NOW RESIDE. 

As there were but three men belonging to the Foreign 
Hussars on board for whose behaviour I could in any 
sense be held responsible, I found myself, after our ship 
dropped anchor, beside the Mole, very much my owrt 
master. I landed, therefore, on the following morning 
at an early hour, with an intention of seeing as much 
of the place as circumstances would allow, and was 
almost immediately thrown into one of those fortunate 
situations In which, from time to time, my good stai* 
has placed me. 

I was walking leisurely along one of the principal 
streets, my mind more occupied perhaps about break- 
fast than anything else, when I saw, coming towards 
me, an infantry officer, whose air and general appear- 
ance seemed to be familiar to me. I looked at him 
earnestly, and, when he came within a few paces, recog- 
nized an old comrade and a countryman. Our saluta- 
tion was, as may be imagined, cordial enough. We 
hastened on the spot to give an acconnt of our respec- 
tive adventures ; and I found that if he had seen less 
service than myself in the field, and before the enemy, 
he had passed his time where promotion was more easy 
of attainment. His history was this : 

Antony Kormack had served with me as a private 
and Serjeant, first on Schwarm Heath in Germany, and 
afterwards in the Paince of Wales^s Hussars. When 
this corps was broken up, he passed first into the Guern- 
sey troop, and afterwards into the York Hussars, from 
which he enlisted into the Seventh ; with which he did 
duty till the short peace sent him with many more 
adrift. 


312 


THE HUSSAlt. 


But beingi as well as others, reluctant to abandon the 
profession of arms, he too proceed to London, where, 
as chance would hare it, he entered, like myself, into 
the 20th Light Dragoons. I was not aware of the 
circumstance at the time : neitlier did I discover him 
till I joined the regiment at Guildford, where I found 
him promoted to the rank of serjeant and the same 
honest, kind-hearted, merry fellow that he had been 
when our acquaintance began in Hanover. 

Kormack was particularly active and skilful in the 
art of recruiting. He had the faculty of picking up 
volunteers where almost every body besides would have 
failed ; and he was accordingly chosen by Captain El- 
liott, the nephew of Lord Heathfield, our Colonel, to 
assist him in raising men for a troop. He accomplish- 
ed his task so well, and within a space of time so unex- 
pectedly brief, that Captain Elliott did not know how 
sufficiently to express his gratitude ; so he sent for Kor- 
mack, and desired him to say how he wished to be 
served. My countryman being at a loss how to an- 
swer, Captain Elliott, of his own accord, proposed to 
get him a commission in a veteran bottalion. The offer 
was accepted with thanks, and Kormack became in con- 
sequence an ensign in the seventh battalion of Veterans, 
with which he did duty in the garrison of Gibraltar. 

His good fortune, however, was not circumscribed by 
this. Being an intelligent and active man, and more- 
over well accustomed to the keeping of accounts, ho 
was made deputy barrack-master to the fortress, and 
when I fell in with him, as described above, enjoyed an 
excellent income, quarters that were exceedingly com- 
fortable, and a good character. 

We were mutually pleased at the recognition which 
had taken place; and I consented, without a scruple, to 
become his guest every day during our continuance in 
Gibraltar ; an arrangement that was greatly prolonged 
by the occurrence of one of those hurricanes, which 
are frequent in these latitudes, coming on without 


THE HUSSAR. 


313 


tiarning, and exercising- great violence for ten or twelve 
minutes. These tornadoes drive vessels from their 
moorings, and split their masts in the most extraordi- 
nary manner ; the oldest seaman being unable to pro- 
vide against accidents which defy all powers of calcu- 
lation. The damage done to our ship by one of these 
was such, that we were rendered quite incapable of 
putting to sea, and so continued, carpenters being em- 
ployed about us all the while, for a space of thirty days. 

During the progress of that month, though I slept 
every night on board, my days were spent in the so- 
ciety of Kormack, who from his olFicial position was 
able to introduce me into places that are not thrown 
open to travellers in general. He carried me not only 
over the works above ground, but into the chambers 
that are cut out of the rock, and made me acquainted 
with such specimens of human ingenuity and industry 
as had never before crossed my path. Having a barge, 
too, at his command, we sailed about the Straits, now 
crossing over to the African shore, now touching here 
and there at such points about the rock as were judged 
worthy of notice ; and as to living, his table was Tny 
own. and all the contents of his lodging at my service. 
It was therefore not without a feeling akin to regret 
that I found the ship at last in a condition to renew 
her voyage, and that all hands being ordered on board, 
I bade my friend adieu, and departed. 

While we lay at Gibraltar, the extraordinary intelli- 
gence of Napoleon’s escape from Elba was received. It 
excited, as may be imagined, a remarkable stir in the 
place, and caused such vessels as were homeward bound 
to gather together and put themselves under the pro- 
tection of a larger convoy ; for the American privateers 
which had harrassed us off the coast of Sardinia were 
brought in as prizes ; and but for the renewal of war 
with France, we might have acted as if the seas had 
been delivered from an enemy. But Buonaparte’s mar- 
vellous success threw us back again to the state in which 
VoL.1. — B b 


314 


THE HtJSSAR. 


we had been twelve months previously. The Admiral 
accordingly retained us till he had made his arrange- 
ments for protecting the homeward trade ; and wheni 
we raised our anchor, it was in company with a consid- 
erable squadron. 

We had rough weather all the way home; and as 
we entered the Channel the gale increased so much that 
the fleet was scattered. The ship in which I took my 
passage, however^ reached Portsmouth at last ; and after 
a short quarantine we landed. We were ordered to 
Portsea barracks, where quarters were allotted to us, 
and all our accounts made out and settled to the last 
farthing. This done I received, with my three men, a 
route for the Tower of London, where, during some 
weeks, we continued to draw our pay, the authorities 
appearing, as it seemed to me, somewhat irresolute 
how it behoved them to deal with us. At last, how- 
ever, came the news of the Battle of Waterloo, and 
London exhibited the aspect of a city of madmen. 
From the Prince Regent to the match-girl, there was 
the most extravagant rejoicing ; and the coffee-houses, 
and other places of public entertainment w'ere filled 
with visiters. But upon us the overthrow of the French 
Emperor had the single effect of bringing our doubts, 
respecting our future fate, to an issue. We were or- 
dered to attend at Chelsea Hospital, for the purpose of 
being discharged, and removed in consequence to cer- 
tain lodging-houses in the vicinity. 

While I resided at what is now a gin-shop, bearing 
the sign of the Compasses, a little circumstance occur- 
red, , of which I may, perhaps, be permitted to make 
mention. A gentleman met me one morning, and, 
being struck w'itli my uniform, which was very rich, 
he began to question me relative to my past services 
and future prospects. I told him all : upon which, ob- 
serving that I had served only twenty-two years and 
nine months, he exclaimed, “You must not think of 
claiming your discharge now. They will not giva 


THE HUSSAR. 


315 


you anything like the pension that you ought to have; 
for a year and a quarter are yet wanting to complete 
your time, and they will be sure to deal with you as 
rigidly as possible.” 

“ What can I do, Sir ?” was my answer. “ Go with 
me,” replied the gentleman : “ I am Colonel Hamilton, 
of the Royal Waggon Train; take service in my corps ; 
and though I cannot enlist you, except as a private, I 
will make you both Corporal and Serjeant immediately, 
I promise you, too, that we will do all w’e can to make 
you comfortable.” 

I liked the Colonel, but told him that after having 
acted as Serjeant-Major to the Foreign Hussars,T could 
not think of becoming even a Serjeant in the Waggon 
Train ; partly because I should feel that I was descend- 
ing from a superior to an inferior rank, and partly be- 
cause I was quite ignorant of the duties of a waggoner, 
and had no wish to learn them. The Colonel was very 
kind, and pressed me hard ; but I would not accede to 
his proposition — so we parted. 

On the 20th of June I presented myself, along with 
many more, at the Board Room. Colonel Hamilton 
was there, and resumed his entreaties, but I had made 
up my mind, and was not to be shaken. “ I will 
rather take the pension, whatever it may be, that is 
awarded me,” said I, “ and spend the rest of my days 
in some peaceful occupation.” Even Sir David Dundas 
at the Board advised me to go with Colonel Hamilton, 
but I would not. The consequence was that I was 
discharged upon a pension of one shilling per day. 

My career from that date has in rtiost respects varied 
so little fi-om that of the generality of persons in my 
situation of life, that it is scarcely worth while to give 
an account of it. Of my relatives in Germany I had 
received no accounts for years ; and the last informa- 
tion conveyed to me was not such as to create any de- 
sire to return to them. My mother was dead. My 
uncles liliewise were gathered to their fathers, and the 


316 


THE HUSSAR. 


business of the distillery had gone on so badly, that 
there were not effects enough to cover the debts that 
had been incurred. 

In Germany, therefore, I could not hope to reclaim 
the position to which my birth and early education en- 
titled me; and I concluded that since I must live in 
obscurity, it would be belter to take a humble station in 
a land of foreigners than at home. I therefore cast 
about in my own mind as to the sort of employment to 
which I might turn, and I had, at one time, serious 
thoughts of opening a shop. But besides that I had no 
connexion, my knowledge of trade was too superficial 
to render it prudent to embark in it. I therefore con- 
cluderkthat the best thing for me would be to pass into 
some genlkman’s service as a groom ; and I began 
immediately to look round for a situation. 

Archdeacon England of Dorchester, advertised for a 
man to take care of his stable, and I answered the ad- 
vertisement. He took me without a character, and I 
lived with him for twelve months very creditably ; but 
tlie work was too hard, and 1 quilted him. In his ser- 
vice, however, I had acquired some knowledge of the 
duties of an in-door servant ; and, as he gave me a 
strong letter of recommendation, I was received as 
butler into the family of Dr. Cowper, a physician 
ill . 

With him I was exceedingly comfortable, and would 
have probably remained with him till this day, but for 
the calling out in 1819 of the pensioners; and I had no 
other alternative than to obey the summons or lose my 
pension. I did obey it nothing loath, for I flattered 
myself that I had now a prospect of completing the 
period of military service that would entitle me to one 
shilling and ten pence a day ; but fortune failed to 
smile upon me. Being forwarded to Plymouth with 
as many invalids as could be collected in one neigh- 
bourhood, I there reported myself to the adjutant of the 
Veteran Battalion, and, with his sanction, took 


THE HUSSAR. 


317 


upon myself the responsibility of pay-scrjeant to my 
company I made up the books, got them into good order, 
and adjusted everything, when the captain arrived. I 
learned from him that my services would not be required. 
In fact, they did not, on that occasion, receive into the 
corps of invalids any individuals who had served as 
troop serjeant-majors in the cavalry, and £ was in con- 
sequence cast adrift upon the world with only my shil- 
ling a day. 

I was a good deal chagrined at this, for with one 
shilling and ten-pence I felt that I could have done 
well ; yet mine is not a desponding temper, so I lost 

no time in looking out for another situation. Mr. , 

a banker in , advertised for a groom, and I an- 

swered the advertisement. I lived with him twelve 
months, at the end of wliich his father took me, and I 
was in his family well treated, and happy for six years. 
But we never know when we are sufficiently well o^ and 
I began to grow impatient. I learned that in London 
there would be a wider field for my exertions, and I 
gave up my place. London, however, was not now the 
theatre for such an actor as myself. I was too old for 
gentlemen’s service ; in the police I had no interest, and 
my finances began to get low. 

Under these circumstances, I m"de up my mind to 
apply for admission into Chelsea Hospital. I did so— 

my request was acceded to, and since the of 

I have been a contented, and, I trust, not an unworthy 
inmate of the soldier’s last home in the land of the 
living. 


THE END. 




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